Seeds of Crisis
by COMPO1976
Summary: Nine months after the Battle of Metropolis everything has changed, Superheroes and Slayers are now public knowledge and are being welcomed to the world. But as Clark, battles old and new enemies in this new world, mysterious cracks in universe threaten the world and only a dimension hopping Buffy Summers can help him overcome.
1. Prologue

SEEDS OF CRISIS

-Prologue-

This planet was once great, magnificent, years above its time. It was seen as a beacon of scientific creation. A cold ice planet of cold logic and reason, protected for eons by the fiery red sun's warm glow. They thought that they would last forever. Forever in perpetual peace.

They were wrong.

He stands in their cold icy chamber, were the fate the of their world rides on a simple whim of these six people. The crystalline construct that make up the chamber is set up as they please, grandiose and ordered, each crystal column showing a holographic picture of events unfolding throughout their planet. They sit watching these images stoically, without emotion as they deliberate their final judgement. Pride is the only emotion that escapes their facade, dripping from their extravagant finery, their jewels running across their fingers and necks show the product of their planet's abortive colonization policies, their fine head dress looping over their heads and dangling as custom dictated reminded him of the tradition of their planet, this along with their long white robes with the symbols of their houses adorned on their chests. A badge of pride for all of their people.

Pride had led to this. To Krypton's destruction.

He glanced at the images flashing in the crystal columns showing them all the images of war. A civil war. A product of Krypton's hubris. A war that attacked the very structure of Krypton's society and their way of life.

For centuries Kryptonians had been the beacon of scientific discovery and exploration throughout the galaxy. Their mission was to never interfere, only observe and study these societies. This imperative however, did not last long as Kryptonians soon began populating these planets and living among their indigenous people, breeding with them until soon they were corrupted by lesser emotions. To preserve Krypton, the ruling council moved into artificial population control, artificially engineering growing new-born Krypton's using the Birthing Matrix, both to ensure Kryptonians' genetic purity and also to provide order to their society by providing the new-borns pre-destined roles in their lives. For over a millennia, it seemed to work. The planet Krypton lived in peace and tranquillity, until the dark times that brought them; Black Zero.

It started ten years ago, debates about the moral question of engineering new-borns into a pre-destined role among the masses. They asked for freedom of choice. Of course, the Council refused and the group known as Black Zero went to war. A war believed by the Council would be over in months under the leadership of the Head of Krypton's military, General Dru-Zod. The war waged longer than perceived and Krypton soon became a living war zone. With the Ruling Council no closer to ending it until it led to Krypton's own destruction.

"No More!" Jor-El called as he stood in the council chamber looking sadly at the Viewing Crystals unable to watch anymore. He bowed his head gravely for a moment, a tear dripping from his blue eyes rolling down his strong features and matting in his smartly trimmed beard. He was not one for grandeur or tradition, but for this he had opted for his best dress robes; hopefully it would lend credence to his argument. The council members glanced back at him curiously ad sternly. "No more," Jor-El repeated softly, the mere image of the destruction and atrocities too much to bear anymore. "We cannot do continue anymore! No more can we ignore the truth."

"The truth Jor-El?" One of the council members asked curiously, which soon changed to amusement. "Ah yes, your mysterious cracks in our planet's surface. Yes we are very aware of your outlandish theories."

"Outlandish, but the truth," Jor-El argued curtly pacing up and down and looking at each members. "We all witnessed what happened to Kandor."

"An obvious attack by Black Zero," a council member piped up mockingly, smiling at him as though she knew better than he, despite never stepping foot out of this chamber.

"My friends, you know me neither to be rash or impulsive," he sighed solemnly looking at the council members appeasingly, they all knew him, for years they had known him. They had respected him. "I have studied the surface of this planet, the energy levels do not match any weapon we have at our disposal, and our space travel is monitored. There is no way the Black Zero group could cause such devastation. The energy signatures surrounding our surface match those of the Phantom Zone. A temporal rip in the universe. A rip that is growing and spreading until it will lead not only to our destruction but also the entire universe!"

"The universe is not our concern, Jor-El," argued the head council member sternly leaning back into his chair holding his throne as though holding on to the prestige and tradition of Krypton itself, "there is only Krypton."

"Then, save it!" Jor-El cried angrily as they sat ignoring his pleas.

"We are," the same member argued sternly leaning forward to survey Jor-El imposingly. "We have seen the evidence you have brought before us and we our decision stands. If you continue down this path!" he interrupted as Jor-El moved to argue, "We shall have no choice but to charge you with insurrection."

"Insurrection?" Jor-El breathed unable to believe what he is hearing, although a small part of him suspecting this would be their decision. He already had a plan for this.

"Any attempt by you to insight rebellion will be seen as treason," another council member finished, ending the situation with the entire council sat staring at their decision.

Jor-El stood for a moment finding his bearings, realizing what this means for him and his wife. And of course his son. "You will find no attempt by me," Jor-El replied holding the lapels of his robes and puffing up his chest. He looked at them stoically showing them his obedience, "neither I nor my wife, will attempt to leave this planet."

"What of your son, Jor-El?!" a graveled booming voice asked from the council chamber doors. Jor-El looked over his shoulder already knowing the voice of the occupant as he marched across the chamber towards them adorned in the black bulking armour of the Kryptonian military, his cloak flowing behind him along with two other military Lieutenants Non, his pet and Faora, his mate. His face is scarred, not physically but mentally, showing the many battles and conflicts he had seen in one stark cold look. Despite that, everything about him commanded respect and shows order and precision. His hair was cut to the regulated size and shape, his beard neat and tidy circling his chin and upper lips and nowhere else. Yet there was something that Jor-El could not escape in General Zod's eyes. It was loathing and hatred. The look Jor-El had seen many times when seeing Zod discuss Black Zero. "Will your son remain on Krypton with the rest of us as the ruling council brings us to our end?"

"What is the meaning of this?" one of the council members demanded as Zod marched to the middle of the chamber. Jor-El noticing the gun in his hand ready to be used. A chill filled him at what may unfold.

"This council is adjourned," Zod stated forcefully shooting the council member point blank with his gun without even looking as he surveyed the other members threateningly, yet the threat was already there. "You are all under arrest."

"On whose authority?" Jor-El piped up, knowing the answer.

"The people of Krypton," Zod replied, taking Jor-El aback. He had not expected that. "For too long this council has escalated a war against our own people. For too long you have watched as countless Kryptonians have lost their lives because of this council's decisions. And for too long we have suffered under your misrule. It is now, that I sentence you all to death for your crimes against Kryptonian law. Against its peace. And against its very survival."

It was at this point that Jor-El watched as the council members were dragged away from their thrones by Zod's men, their headpieces crashing to the ground as they are jerked from their seats. They fought back but were soon pushed to their knees, like dogs. The coldness left them as they were dragged away only to replaced with fear, tears streaming down their faces as they were surely were taken to their deaths.

"What is the meaning of this, Zod?" Jor-El asked indignantly, yet cautiously as he was all too aware that Non and Faora stood very close to him. Zod turned to Jor-El, the same look of hatred burning deep. He fixed him with a glare for a moment or two before finally nodding to his men. Jor-El turned but was too late, feeling their strong grips grabbing him from behind holding his arms in place so that he could not swipe or attack at them. Not that he could. These were soldiers and highly trained, he wouldn't have been able to throw the punch at them let alone connecting it. He turned to Zod still trying to figure out how to get out this. "And what is it I am guilty of?!"

"Heresy and insurrection," Zod stated simply as though it didn't need explaining. He glared at Jor-El, the heat in his eyes intensifying, "we know Jor-El. We know about your son."

Jor-El's eyes widened. They had been careful to hide their son's conception. The way he had been conceived. How could they have found out? A stony resolve came over Jor-El as he realised what was coming and what this meant for Krypton. "Zod, please listen to me..."

"I am done listening to your counsel, Jor-El," Zod snapped harshly almost spitting at Jor-El as he said it. "You have flouted the law by creating an abomination and expose yourself as nothing more than a Black Zero sympathiser."

"Zod! Please, our society is crumbling around us! The planet is in danger! The whole universe..." Jor-El cried desperately trying get him to understand.

"My concern is to the planet Krypton, not to the universe," Zod interrupted stubbornly. "Our survival hinges on what happens next."

"And what happens next?" Jor-El asked noting the darkness befalling Zod as he said the last sentence. He didn't like where this was going.

"We have searched your home," Zod said ignoring Jor-El's last question. "We found it deserted. Where is the child?"

Jor-El remained silent. He knew why he was asking and he knew what Zod was planning. He felt his inside boil with what could only be described as anger. He let out an inward sigh of relief that Lara had taken Kal-El to the lab he had set up. The lab he had set up for his plans. He felt a heavy weight of guilt hit him as he realised that he was about to break a second piece of the law. All to save his son.

It was worth it.

There was nothing but Kal-El now. They were finished. Krypton was done. They had had their time and it would seem that the universe was turning against them.

He felt himself being moved to walk as Faora and Non nudged him in the back like a petty criminal. He walked slowly, Zod was done with him for now and he was now being led to whatever fate they had in store for him. He could only guess. Torture. Zod was very adept at it. They would torture him until he revealed the location of the lab. He would never see his son again. A tear dripped from his eyes softly as he longed to hold Kal-El once again. To see him grow. To give him one last word of wisdom before he can give no more; in person anyway. For he shall never leave him, nor shall Lara. They will be there to guide him.

BOOOM!

An earth shattering explosion rocked the sky, the force of which knocking Jor-El and the soldiers to the ground. Jor-El groaned as he chin smacked against the hard floor as his hands remain behind his back unable to break his fall. It was then that he saw it. It exploded across the sky like a laser cannon, ripping across the stars and the blackness of space. His eyes widened in horror. He wasn't alone. He could hear the cries, the screams of terror at what the soldiers were seeing. This was the end.

"JOR-EL!" A almighty roar echoed behind Jor-El breaking him away from his thoughts of their obvious doom. He turned quickly to see a blood thirsty Zod raising his laser rifle at him. Jor-El rolled out of the way as a green blast of energy shot at him exploding on the floor leaving only a scorch mark. Jor-El sprang to his feet as he ran towards the speeders parked with a row of others. He had only a few moments before the other soldiers collected their bearings.

Green energy blasts shot overhead as the soldiers react quicker than he anticipated. He leapt to the speeder bike, revving it quickly; he had no time to adhere to the speed code. The entire planet was in danger. He heard the roars of Zod, the cries of his soldiers, the hisses of their blasts flying at him as he shot from the ground and into the air. He didn't look back as the guns fired at him. He kept his eyes firmly on his destination. He had to make it. He patched in quickly to Lara's communicator at the lab.

"Jor-El!" Lara cried panically, fear etched across her face as her holographic image sat beneath his face from the holo-communicator. "It's happening! It's time!"

"Prep the ship, Lara. We have no time to lose!" Jor-El cried as he dipped and dived through the Capital City. "I will be there in mere moments!"

He ended the communication as he swooped through the futuristic city. A mixture of crystalline and metallic constructs towering high and connected by bridges and shoots leading to different buildings and levels of the city. It saddened him to think that all of this would end soon. He heard the thunder of the sky and humming of the ship above him. He glanced over his shoulder as he saw one of Zod's ship hovering him, a spotlight flashing alight and shining down on Jor-El.

"JOR-EL! SURRENDER OR BE DESTROYED!" Zod's voice echoed furiously from the bullhorn.

Jor-El glared at Zod's disembodied voice turning and revving the engine of the bike once more. He would not fail his son. He would not surrender. His death will not be in vain. He felt the gunfire shoot past him as he pushed the bike faster and faster through the city. He heard the screams of the people below at the strange anomaly above them. The rip in the universe. He could sense it getting wider. It was growing. The light grew across the planet's surface. Jor-El glanced upwards to see a huge white light spanning the skyline, spanning miles and growing still. Jor-El turned back to his objective. They had no time to lose.

Jor-El pulled out the Phantom Zone ring; he knew he only had one chance at this he had to make it count. He wished he never had to use this but to save his son. At this moment, he would do just about anything. He swooped under the bridge. He turned as he saw Zod's ship following and Zod leaning out of the ship his gun primed to fire at him. Jor-El acting quickly flinging the ring in the air, it spun and danced in mid-air a blue energy building around it until it expanded, exploding into a blue portal a gust of wind pulling at the air sucking in the ship. He could hear Zod's screams as he was pulled in trying to escape. Until finally there was only distorted screams. He had saved Krypton from a tyranny under Zod's rule, he thought as the 2-D Phantom Zone glass flew away into the sky and out into space, but in the end Krypton was already doomed. He bowed his head solemnly turning and heading to the laboratory.

* * *

><p>It took a few minutes to reach it as he landed skidding on the entrance ramp and running to the door. Jor-El rushed into the lab to find Lara was waiting for him as she readied the ship. It sat in the middle of the room, a long pentagonal shape surrounding an egg like pod in the middle, the pod remains open as it houses a small baby that cries and coos with confusion in the little pod.<p>

"Is it ready, Lara?" Jor-El asked urgently as he rushed into the laboratory.

"Yes, all you have to do is place the key in," Lara replied sadly fighting back the tears as she left the console to move with her husband towards the ship. Jor-El picked up the hexagonal key from the lab bench looking at it sadly and with a worry that could only belong to a father. "Will he be safe?" Lara squeaked as she held by tears.

"Their yellow sun will give him amazing abilities," Jor-El croaked softly as he fingered the key in his hand looking over at Lara as she stands looking down at their son. "He will have a dense molecular structure. He will defy their gravity..."

"But he won't be one of them," Lara replied sharply realising the loneliness they may push onto their son, "he will be different. Alone."

"He will live," Jor-El stated placing a warm hand on his wife's shoulder, "I have pinpointed a family who will take him in. They are... good people. They will protect him. They will love him."

They held each other for a moment. The realisation hitting them that none of their love will ever be known to their son. He will never know how much they loved him. They will never know them. They will never be there to guide him, to watch him grow into the man they believe he can be. A tear escapes Lara's cheek as she rests her head on Jor-El's shoulder looking down at her son as he looks up at her oblivious to the fact that this will be the last they will ever see of each other.

"It is time, Lara," Jor-El said softly, she looked up at him as he looked down at his son. A heavy sadness filled through his features. He was never good at hiding his emotions. So very unkryptonian of him. But then their son was so very unkryptonian as well. The Last 'natural' Son of Krypton in centuries and soon its very last son. She held her husband as she too realised they had to hurry. They could both feel the quakes and quivers of the world around them as it was soon to be ripped apart. It was now time to say goodbye.

"My son, I have only known you for a few short weeks," Lara started taking a breath as her emotions started to take over her. She thought back the tears. She was going to finish. She would say goodbye to her son, "I wish I could be there to guide you and protect you."

"We don't have much time," Jor-El stated as he too looked at his son. The statement wasn't to Lara, but to Kal-El, hoping he would understand.

"Our love will always be with you," Lara continued, "I can already see you possessing your father's fierce independence."

"But more importantly your mother's bravery," Jor-El added holding his wife tightly. "And her compassion."

"All I wish for you is to live a full life," Lara croaked as she held back the tears, "but I want you to know that you come from a great love and you will show your new home that unquestionable love."

"We will never leave you, Kal-El," Jor-El said placing a hand on his son's head stroking it for the last time. "All that I have, all that I've learned, everything I feel and more... I bequeath to you. You will make my strength your own, you will see my through your eyes, as your life should be seen through mine. The son becomes the father and the father... the son."

Jor-El placed the key into its slot and watched his son for the final time as the ship closed over on him. A golden glow filling the ship as it turned in the air tilting upwards towards the roof. Jor-El pressed a button to open the skylight, the white light taking up much of the sky now. A blast of energy shot from the back of Kal-El's ship propelling it in the sky. Jor-El held Lara close as the earth began to shake, the ground cracked open, the entire lab shook violently as they knew it was now time. Throughout Krypton, people die in the wake of the destruction, fire and lava explodes from the ground as the entire core is ripped apart. Until finally-

BOOMMM! The planet Krypton exploded. Eons of scientific discovery and civilization gone in the blink of an eye as it is pulled apart by the white light, its remains zooming through the cosmos. The small ship of baby Kal-El shooting through the white light; disappearing in a blink of an eye, along with the Planet Krypton.

* * *

><p>AUTHORS NOTE: Right so I'm back and I am going to finish this story. Got great ideas for this story that will wrap everything up. For anyone who's read my stories from the beginning sorry for the wait. We'll get there. Hope you like the beginning... you'll love the end ;) Next Chapter: we see the ramifications of the last story and catch up on what's been going on since the battle with Darksied.<p> 


	2. Changing the World

**Chapter One **

**Changing the world**

_A NEW FRONTIER by Clark Kent_

_The thing with changing the world, is that once you change it, everything's different. Sometimes this can be good and sometimes they can be bad, only time can tell. _

_Having taken the time in pondering this over the past few months, the general public is mixed as they are awoken to a New Frontier of superheroes and strange creatures from the deep recesses of our nightmares and the thing that runs solely through everyone's mind is; what happened to our world?_

_As we stand today we remember the tragedy and destruction brought upon our world nine months ago during the Battle of Metropolis, but to simplify this event to merely one location would be a disservice to the significance of that day. For this was the day we as a race awoke to world we were unaware of. A world of Gods and warriors and monsters that both fought against and for our world. It was on this day that we faced Apokolips and were saved by these people of the shadows; our heroes. _

_These heroes naming themselves 'The Justice League' and the 'Slayers' worked together in uniting a front to take back our world from these alien tyrant were attempted to take something that we as a species hold dear; our free will. Today we congratulate them for their efforts and the work they have done these past few months to help rebuild a world in turmoil. Today, we welcome a New Frontier as our governments formerly welcome these institutions as members of our world and as the heroes they deserve..._

"Bit sentimental don't ya think, Smallville?" Lois Lane asked after reading Clark's expose on the latest Slayer news, her brown eyes surveying her bespectacled partner with a scrutinizing eyes, "if I don't know any better I'd say you're biased."

"We've had enough negativity thrown about from Lex, Lois," Clark Kent, the dark haired bespectacled reporter replied calmly yet with a bit of force as he thought of the months of slander and negative press thrown Superman and the Scoobies' way. Ever since Lex had got off on the Twilight incident, mainly due to his army of lawyers, he had used all of his uses of the media to go after the Justice League and cast doubt in the minds of people about the implications of leaving the world unchecked against these mysterious saviours. Despite many people opening the heroes with open arms, the Slayers had not had the same good press and had spent months working the the different governments to convince them that they were to be trusted. Clark had been trying to help as much as he could, but with the League being set up and gaining trust it had been hard.

"I think, what Lane is trying to say Kent is whether your prior engagement with the 'Slayers' is going to cause a conflict of interest," Perry White, Clark's gruff grey haired editor snarled as he gave Clark a knowing look. Both he and Lois had known that he had had a relationship with Buffy Summers, the... former leader of the Slayers. They had been sensitive towards the situation since Buffy's death during the Battle of Metropolis, mainly due to Clark staying clear of covering any Slayer news, but what with this they had to ask these questions.

"I can assure you Mr White that my work will be totally professional," Clark replied lifting his glasses from the bridge of his nose as they slipped down. "I may have had a relationship with the Slayers but that does not mean that I will not sway from the truth. The truth is, is that they have been fighting against monsters for centuries in shadows and now in the open and I feel that should be honoured. They have proven to me that they can be trusted and I believe they can do the same with the world."

"Lex's scaremongering may beg to differ," Lois scoffed with derision as she thought of Lex's continual blasting of Superman and the Justice League, mainly Superman though, for some reason Lex had an unnatural hatred for the Man of Steel. Lois suspected it might be to do with Superman putting him in jail for the whole Twilight incident, but really she thought it was because of his long wavey black hair.

"LNN can do whatever Lex wants them to do in the meantime we'll do what the Planet has always done!" Perry declared boisterously as he stood up ready for action. "Kent, you're joining Lois at the Slayer story. I want the inside scoop on the Slayers and I want it on my desk before Lex Luthor can get a mullet."

"So, we've got all the time in world," Lois smirked sarcastically as she stood up grabbing her handbag and marching stridently towards the door. "Come on, Smallville, I'm not missing this plane cos you can't keep up."

"You'd be surprised how fast I am, Lois," Clark replied shrewdly as he pushed his glasses up from his nose, following Lois with a knowing look wondering if she'll ever notice what he's hiding behind the glasses. Despite that, he had great respect for Lois, she had been good to him these past few months helping him through some bad times. They had been working closely and Clark started to see Lois in a whole new light; she was bossy, obstinate and and always had to have her own way and in a way that was what Clark liked about her. She didn't take no one's excuses and knew what she wanted and would do anything to get it, she was always on the move and always throwing herself into every situation and yet despite all that there was a great warmness and calmness to her. He had found that out as she helped him grieve over Buffy.

"Come on, Smallville, keep up!" Lois called at the elevator as she stepped inside Clark lolling behind lost in his thoughts. He followed her inside smirking at her as she stood hotly with her arms folded and tapping her foot impatiently. She was always like this when a story was at the tip of her fingers; like bulldog. Restless and aggressive, which without her morning Coffee was a bad combination. She glanced over at him her face softening as the elevator doors closing, the bulldog performance disappearing and showing the warm and caring side Clark had known only in private; usually during an afternoon drink at Bibbo's. "You gonna be okay with this?" She asked with concern yet keeping her eyes fixed on the golden doors of the elevator both of them looking at the reflection of the other.

"If you'd asked me a few months ago I would have said no," Clark shrugged letting off the heavy weight from his shoulders. "But as someone not too far away said to me, 'you can either sit on your butt and feel down, or you can roll up your sleeves and start kicking some'," he finished with a small smile as he did his best impression of Lois when she gave her usual pep talks. For Clark, it had been daily, now it was once a fortnight. Jimmy however got one every day now. Perry, much to his own annoyance, got one everyday whenever Lois gave him a story he knew would give the Planet trouble.

"I do not sound like that," Lois sniffed in denial as even she had to admit that Clark could do one hell of an impression of her, so much so that it had become very popular among the bullpen.

"I think the entire bullpen would disagree," Clark replied coolly continuing the usual banter that had become a regular thing with his and Lois' relationship. She smiles at him sarcastically as she remembers Steve Lombard and the others laughing at Clark's impression. Clark placed a hand on her shoulder a look of seriousness on his face and she turned to look at him fully. "Honestly, thank you."

"Don't get sentimental on me, Smallville," Lois said stiffly getting herself together after a moments pause as she felt herself taken aback by his gratitude. It was something she had not expected and something she had never asked for. Clark was a friend and she had been there for him as he had been there for her respectfully over Chloe's death. They had grown close and Lois had felt an admiration for Clark that she had never seen before. His openness and calmness had kind of allowed her to do the same of the past months; of course after a few drinks at Bibbo's, but it still counts. She turned after gaining her composure again and strode out of the elevator, "we've got work to do."

Clark shook his head as he followed her toward the taxi outside. He felt a warmth fill in the pit of his stomach as he watched her push herself through men far bigger than her and hailing a cab with a ear-piercing whistle; even for Clark. He couldn't help but smile at her defiance at being pushed about or ignored.

He took her hand as the taxi pulled over catching her off guard as he leaned forward to open the taxi. She was always caught off guard by Clark's honesty and good manners, almost forgetting that despite his mild-mannered demeanour, which had improved since when he first came to Metropolis when he was more bumbling than mild mannered, he was still that home grown farm boy from Kansas she had known all those years ago. A warmth filled her as he took her hand and helped her into the cab and despite her usual independent nature that would usually dismiss such a gesture but right now, she enjoyed it.

"Metropolis International Airport, please" Clark stated as he set himself in the taxi.

"And step on it," Lois added with urgency as the taxi drive set off, though he didn't need much coaxing as he put his foot down sending Lois flying backward colliding into Clark who caught her as she fell into his hard and surprisingly muscular chest. Her smiled meekly as she blushed brightly both setting themselves back in their seats, ignoring the moment and setting off to find the next story.

* * *

><p>The Slayer private jet had set off from New York International fairly early so as to keep on good time; this was more Giles' idea than anyone else's. It had been an anxious few months for the Scoobies and the Slayers since the Battle of Metropolis, mainly due to the world governments poking their noses in on their organization. For months they had had government officials inspecting their cells and asking questions that they no undoubtedly knew already, after all as Giles had revealed the Watcher's Council had had a lot of fingers in government pies to keep the Slayers secret and the demonic world.<p>

"They're covering their asses," Faith had snarled with disgust when she had heard this. In truth, that was exactly what they had been doing. The Twilight group may have been led by Angel and Orion morphed into the terrorist Twilight using New God technology in order to keep Buffy's enemies at bay while they prepared for Darksied's invasion, who planned to use Buffy to discover the Anti-Life equation, an equation that would have given Darksied the power over everyone's will, but it all came from the worlds fear of a group of super powered women who fight demons creating an army unchecked by the stuffy men they had entrusted to keep them at bay before. Even now, the whole incident was a lot to process. Not just the fact that vampire and demons were not the only threat to humanity, but now God-like alien armies who hoped to conquer

It was on that day that everything seemed to change, not just universally, but personally as well for the Scoobies, as they were revealed to the fact that the enemy they had been fighting all those months had been a former ally of theirs; Angel. They had fought against Angel before, or rather Angelus, Angel's desouled other half that revealed the true vicious and sadistic vampire that lied beneath. They had long forgotten those days when Angel had lost his soul after a one night of 'perfect happiness' with Buffy and spent the next few months torturing not only Buffy, but her friends as well. They had forgiven Angel for that, convincing themselves that he was not in his right mind and was not the same Angel they had known. Despite that, it had taken a few months to gain their trust again with only Buffy's assurance that he was the same Angel that kept them from staking him.

Xander clenched the arm of his chair as he thought of those days and the fact that they let that monster live, not just then but even now. He something tiny touch his knuckle and he looked down to see the tiny rag doll that was now Dawn looking up at him from her seat, which towered over her like everything else now a days. Ever since, she had been curse by her ex-boyfriend who was a thrice-wise she had gone through many transformations; first a giant, then a centaur and now a little toy. They were still trying to find a way to reverse it, but without Kenny, her ex-boyfriend, there wasn't much chance of that. "Are you okay?" Dawn asked her voice slightly squeaky and softer than Xander could remember, all though it was better than when she was giant and nearly always caused his ears to pop.

"Yeah, just nervous about today," Xander lied only looking at her with her eye-patched eye so to not reveal that fact, Dawn always could tell when he was lying. He glanced at her to see if she accepted his lie. She did reluctantly, turning back to the movie on the plane.

Xander thoughts returned to him as he looked over at Dawn. He wondered what it was with the Summers' girls that they do the dance with no pants with guys that will either go evil or cause magical transformations afterwards. He swears he'll kill Kenny when they ever find him. He had been quite elusive the past year they had been searching for him, which meant they had to wait and see what happened to Dawn and transformations. Like her sister, Dawn had argued that Kenny was a good guy and that he had just been hurt by what she did to him. The same old excuses; he wasn't himself.

Maybe he was projecting his anger at Angel on to Kenny. After all, Kenny was just a kid acting out after being hurt. Angel on the other hand was a different matter. After all the excuse, Xander had never been truly convinced at his supposed nobility and goodness. He thought he was proven right when word reached them that Angel had taken over WolfRam and Hart, the evil demonic Law firm, only to be disproven by Andrew, who revealed that Angel was in fact working to take it down from the inside. Yet another excuse. But, the Twilight thing, there was no excuse. Sure he had been trying to stop an invasion from Darksied but by doing so he had caused the death of countless Slayers and most importantly; Buffy.

If it hadn't of been for Angel and his causing the whole Twilight group; Lex Luthor wouldn't have attacked them giving Darksied a window to capture Buffy and thus cause her death. He was just as guilty as Luthor and Darksied. All three of them were monsters and each one of them had gotten away; Darkseid escaping to Apokolips, Lex's lawyers getting him off from his crimes and Angel... they let him go yet again.

They gave him yet another excuse, but this time Xander knew; they didn't forgive him.

It had taken them a long while to get over Buffy's death. More so then the last time, since now they wouldn't be bringing her back. They couldn't do that again, not like last time, it nearly killed Buffy coming back from the dead. No, they had decided all those months ago, they would honour her by leaving her to where she belonged and where she deserved to be. They would just have to carry on without her. Xander had been appointed leader of the Slayers, mainly due to him being Buffy's second in command during her leadership; her Watcher.

Since then, he and the others had worked hard to gain good relations with the world governments since they had been revealed. They had gone through every inspection and investigation brought to them by every government agency all of them seeing how much of a threat could be. They had brought their case forward and had fought against the odds. Now today was the day they got their 'reward'. That being, they are now legally allowed to fight demons. Xander scoffed at this, that they needed permission to do what they had been doing for years, who did these people think they were. They had no idea the damage and heartache they had faced doing what they do. It was Giles who had convinced them to do this and basically helped Xander come with clear limitations to government interference in order to allow them to do what they do. Giles had really been a life saver these past few months helping Xander with all of this; his Watcher. They had never really always seen eye to eye but lately they had grown closer with Giles acting like his Obi-Wan, which Giles really doesn't like being called and Andrew jealously hating since he believed Giles to be his Obi-Wan. Only one padawan to one master after all.

"We'll be landing in five minutes," Giles announced as he made his way from the cockpit returning to his seat.

"Thanks for the heads up, G-Man," Xander proclaimed cheerfully snapping out his dark thoughts.

"Please be serious, Xander," Giles replied his head lolling back with exasperation as he sat in his seat, "this is a very important day for us and we have to be at our best."

"What? So the stuffy politicians don't try and nuke us?" Faith replied not liking the fact that she was A) in a suit and B) she had to spend her day with stuffy guys in suits who think they have all the power to push them around. This was gonna be a long day. She was definitely not five-by-five.

"Precisely," Giles noted a matter a factly as he cleaned his glasses. "Which is why we should all try and be civil..."

"I thought everything was peachy now?" Willow asked popping up from over Giles chair.

"It is," Xander interjected as Giles opened his mouth to reply. "but we still have keep things on the up and up. As long we play they nice, they play nice. This is what this whole day is about to make sure we all play ball."

"P-precisely," Giles stuttered both in awe at Xander's mature response and also pride at seeing how much he has grown.

"So, lets all have our game faces on and we may just yet get some free passes to the Mall of America," Xander smirked over at Giles, leaning back in his seat with his hands at the back on his head with a smug look on his face.

"Oooo, the Mall of America," Willow chimed as she thought about it falling back into her chair. "I wonder if they have a magic shop there now!"

"I'm totally going to for some new leathers," Faith added looking down at her suit pants with disdain.

"I could get something cute to wear!" Dawn squeaked with excitement.

"Yeah, Barbie's new clothes line is really good this year," Xander joked, grinning ear to ear at Dawn as the other began to laugh at a funnily grumpy looking Dawn, who's floppy arms wrapped around themselves in rather comical way taking away from her mood.

"That's not funny!" Dawn grumbled as she deeper into her seat.

"Aww, don't worry Raggedy Anne we'll buy you something to grow in to!" Faith guffawed from her seat, causing them to laugh even more as the made their descent into the capital.

"The World is definitely doomed," Giles sighed with exasperation as he closed his eyes feeling one of his migraines coming on that usually came about when the 'mall' was mentioned. This was definitely going to be a long day.

* * *

><p>Kahndaq, was a country in turmoil ruled by a powerful dictator, one that bled the country and its people dry. Its people had not known freedom for a long time, it was almost as if the dark times had returned to them from the old Legends of Ahk-Ton. Many had come to believe that one that their saviour would come to protect them and overthrow the terrible tyrant that held them in his iron grip. Many however had lost hope.<p>

Arfan held on to the last bit of hope he had left as he walked through his home village bring what little food he could carry back to his family. He looked up to the sky and wished that something good would come down and protect them. His grandfather humoured him with stories of the past. But the stories he had heard whispered among many were the heroes of America. His heart rose as he thought of the stories of the Gods returning and his hopes were that they would return to Kahndaq.

Suddenly, his thoughts were interrupted as he huge force exploded in front of him knocking him clear of his feet. His bag of wheat slipped through his fingers crashing to the ground, the toils of his day scattered across the ground, smearing across his face as he flew through the air his face planting down on the hard dusty ground. Confusion and terror filled him as he scurried up from the ground, the only thing he remembered before the force hit was a white light. A bright white light. He looked up to see tall foreboding figure standing silhouetted in the same blinding light that had hit him.

"Khem-Adam!" Arfan gasped as he saw the figure standing over him, both fear and awe filling him as he believed his prayers had finally be answered.

"Zod!" the figure growled dangerously, bright red eyes barring down on Arfan. His feeling of hope disappeared and were replaced by dread as the white light dissipated and was replaced by a fiery red light that exploded from the creatures eyes. This was not the Gods returning to save them. This was just another dictator bringing more destruction.

* * *

><p><strong>Author Note: <strong>_Yay! After long last I've pulled my finger out and got back to writing the finale to my Buffy/Smallville crossover. For those who are still here to read it, thanks for being patient. I promise I will finish the series and for anyone who has stuck with it and requested it, thank you for the support. I promise I won't let anyone down with this. Well let me know what you think of this chapter another will be coming VERY soon! Next Chapter: Zod Returns! ... well people find out he's returned, we've seen him return but... okay the next chapter title is called Zod Returns and Now Everyone Knows it!_


	3. Zod Returns

**Chapter Two**

**Zod Returns**

Clark and Lois made their way into the East Room of the White House after spending a good half an hour making their way through the main area, what with all the security checks, being an important day and an important building holding one of the most important men in the world the Secret Service were pretty antsy. Clark looked around at the ball room in awe, as he had done for most of the time making his way in here. It always amazed him and gave him a feeling of pride to be able to walk through these halls and imagine all the great men who had been welcome here or held office. As Superman he had to hold it on in and keep an air of decorum and civility in order to keep negotiations regarding the League, but as Clark Kent he was free to bask in it and just take it all in. It was a rather liberating feeling to do so without having to be on guard. Of course as a reporter he always had to be on guard for any scoop he could find, but that didn't mean he couldn't marvel at symbol for the many things he himself believed in. Truth, Justice and the American way; it was practically his motto.

His thoughts went back to five months ago, as he remembered the days of negotiation involving the Justice League being seen as a legal body. It had taken some time, but he had managed to get the President on side and most of the houses. He had felt a great admiration for the man he had stood in front of in the room he had only seen on television; the President's Oval Office. He was a smart man and quick-minded with a good temperament and way of speaking that made you believe in him whether you agreed with his policies or not. But, under all of it he was a strong speaker and knew exactly what he wanted and how to get it. For the President, Clark had understood he needed to come up with some sort of agreement with the League that would allow him to go with public opinion for the vast majority who were behind the League due to their work during and after the battle (and also, paying them back for saving him) but also appease the members of the House who were apprehensive about having a group of super-powered beings running around. In the end, they had come up with a good deal that could appease all parties; the League would be free to keep fighting super villains and protecting the world but they would be monitored by a government liaison who would make sure international laws were adhered to.

"Eyes on the prize, Smallville," Lois nudged Clark out of his awe-filled daydream as he basked in the splendour of the East Room, with its vast space and shiny polished wood panelled floor, tall thin white framed windows reflecting the brightness of the day into the already magnificent room, dancing across the the feet of the many dignitaries standing waiting for the main event. They all seemed at ease at being there disinterested in the large chandeliers hanging over them illuminating the white walled room and golden curtains that gave the room a grandness and magnificence that Clark couldn't believe could be ignored in such a way. He turned and looked over at the many Senators and Officials all standing discussing noticing someone in particular that Lois was indicating.

Maxwell Lord, Government Liaison for Metahuman and Paranormal Affairs, stood conferring with many different people standing centre stage in a small circle that seemed to be attracting some attention from passers by. Maxwell Lord, son of Albert Lord Founder of Chimtech consortium and former CEO of the company himself, he was described by the Times as shrewd businessman, who could rival even Lex Luthor or Bruce Wayne, if not for Lex Luthor taking over the competition, he was now the government liaison for the Justice League and the Slayers. Clark didn't know what to think of the man, he was suave, confident and obviously intelligent but there was something about him that Clark couldn't put his finger on. Perhaps it was just Lords smug nature that had this affect on Clark.

"Lord, sure does seem to enjoy the limelight?" Clark remarked to Lois as they both watched him playing the showman like all businessmen; he was selling himself.

"Well, today is his big day," a familiar voice appeared from behind Clark making him smile as he turned to see his old friend, Xander Harris. It hadn't been long since they had seen each other, maybe a month, but it was still good to see him. He turned and with a broad smile welcomed the Scoobies as they made their way into room all dressed smartly and ready for business. Xander was dressed in his usual grey jumper and black pants, his Watcher suit he calls it. Willow came up from behind in her usually green colours, wearing a smart dark green suit that matched Faith's own black one. Willow, as opposed to Faith, looked a lot more comfortable in her attire, Clark smiling as he saw the sullen look coming from Faith as she near literally stomp across the door of the room. Giles followed in the background looking both disapproving at Faith's sullen behaviour and also quite marvelled at the architecture that was around him, fixing his glasses as he went for a closer look.

"No, its your big day," Clark corrected Xander as he turned to him, taking his hand and shaking it warmly. "Good to see you again, Xander," Clark greeted him warmly turning to Willow with a smile, "Willow, I'm sorry to hear about you and Kennedy," he said apologetically as he leaned in to kiss her on the cheek.

"It's fine," Willow sighed, still not quite over the whole break up with Kennedy that had happened little over a month ago, but she was coping. "How are you?"

"I'm doing good," Clark replied sensing the tone of sympathy as Willow gave her usual check up on Clark's grieving process. She could see by the look on his face that he was telling the truth, unlike before when he was faking it. Willow glanced over at Lois curiously as she stepped forward having let them have a moment, knowing that they needed this.

"Lois," Faith greeted her as she saw Lois step forward. Lois greeted her as well, both women giving each other their usual nod of respect that came from Lois covering most of the Slayer developments and gaining a general rapour with the Scoobies due to her support in these matters. Honestly, for Faith it was nice to see someone who could hold their liquor and keep up with her. "Fancy blowing this thing off and find place were the guys are at least more oiled up."

"I would, Faith," Lois smiled at her friends bluntness as two posh guests glared at her as they passed, obviously not liking her version of fun. She almost had to contain the laughter as they glanced back glaring at her, causing the others to blush with embarrassment; although it may be what Faith just said rather than the stares they were now getting. "But, someone has to look after Smallville."

"CK doesn't need looking after," Faith groaned with a cheeky nod over at Clark, who blushed as she gave him a quick wink.

"How are you, Mr Giles?" Clark said quickly to Giles in order to move away from the conversation with Lois and Faith, both of which glanced and smiled mischievously at him. He didn't like them together; it was scary. Mainly, because they were both so alike.

"Fine, its good to see you Clark," Giles replied pleasantly as he turned his attention away from the room he now stood in and was mesmerised by. Honestly, Clark felt glad there was at least someone else who felt the wonder of the building they stood in. "I must say I have enjoyed your articles for the Planet. Very moving."

"Thank you," Clark beamed with some pride at what Giles had said to him. With everything that he can do, it warmed Clark's heart to hear someone compliment his writing. His writing wasn't like anything else, it was one of few times were his powers were useless. He had to think hard on the words he used and take his time in writing so that it seemed natural and conveyed the right emotion and convictions he wanted to show. It was what challenged him and that's why he loved it. It was why he didn't mind his mother having a scrap book of all of his articles, none of which were of him as Superman but as Clark Kent. Every small story, every by-line, every front page story, every major event he covered, whatever it was she kept and put in the scrapbook. It was the closest he could ever get to a trophy room that most kids got in their youth. For Clark, he never had that since he hadn't couldn't really play sports. He had, in his Senior Year, played Football but looking back maybe it wasn't really for Clark. He enjoyed it, but looking back now he wonders if he wanted to play because he couldn't; in a sense to prove something. With writing there was none of that, he didn't have to prove anything to anyone; just himself. "I enjoyed your lecture regarding Demon lore in Salem. It was very informative."

"Why, t-thank you," Giles stammered with some degree of embarrassment, the talk had been televised as Giles gave a lecture to give some insight of demons and Slayers. In short, it was to basically give people some perspective into what they were doing and in some way to help gain bridges between them and public. It seemed to have worked due to them being here today.

"So where's Dawn?" Clark asked curiously, having not seen Dawn in a good while. Unlike the last time Buffy had died, Clark had not abandoned the Scoobies. He had blamed himself the last time, due to it being a member of his race that had been the cause of her death. He had felt being close to them would be too hard. This time however, he felt it would have been a disservice to both his friendship with the Scoobies and also to Buffy's memory. He couldn't leave Dawn like he did last time and had made it his mission to look out for her.

"I'm down here!" a squeaky voice echoed from his feet. Clark looked down to see the small brown rag doll that was Dawn stood arms folded and tapping her foot impatiently as she looked up at all of them. "I fell out of Xander's pocket at the Entrance! Its took me at least ten minutes to get to you guys."

"Don't worry, kiddo," Clark smiled warmly picking her up tenderly and placing her in his breast pocket, "you can be my other pair of eyes and get me the scoop."

Dawn smiled up at Clark as she sat in his pocket, glaring at the others who giggled at her predicament. They were interrupted as they were called to get ready for the conference. They moved into the East Room ready to see what the future held.

* * *

><p>Zod looked on in horror at the burnt and charred body that lay before him that had once been the young boy that had appeared before. He stared blankly at its distorted and crumpled form as smoke fizzled from it. He looked around wondering what had happened and yet in a way he knew. He had done it. Somehow, he had killed that boy with just a look.<p>

What had happened? He thought as he looked around at his surroundings. Everything looked so primitive and desolate, not the sprawling and technological advanced surroundings of his home. He looked around his thoughts muddled and groggy and yet he could feel them coming back quickly as he walked through the desert terrain. He felt different. Stronger and for some reason indestructible. What had happened to him?

Jor-El.

Realization filled him as he remembered his last moments on Krypton and the white light. The white light that Jor-El had tried to warn the council about. Those arrogant bastards let this happen. After years of fighting a war with Black Zero, they had allowed their planet to go to ruin as they held on to their power. As the General set with the task of protecting Krypton no matter what, he saw them as a threat, one that needed to be destroyed. The only one who could protect Krypton was him. He was the only one that could save it. He had found out the truth when he had used the Brain Interactive Construct to come up with an outcome for the war. It was then that Zod has learnt the truth of their downfall.

Kal-El.

The son of Jor-El. The first natural birth in centuries destroying all of what had stabilized their civilization. It was an abomination that would destroy everything. A unstable and unpredictable element in society that would undo all that they had worked so hard for. It was the Brain Interactive Construct's theory that birth of the child had caused an ecological upset and although Krypton had long abandoned such superstitions, the theory played on Zod's mind until it became like a gnat nibbling at the back of his mind until finally he knew what he had to do. He had to take Krypton and kill the child.

If not for Jor-El he would have succeeded. Jor-El couldn't see what needed to be done, he never could see the that sometimes the end justified the means. He was so driven with emotion that he would rather let his planet die than sacrifice his son. Does one life justify the loss of many? His crime was just as heinous as those of the council. He had fled from Zod's forces during his coup and tried to save his son. Zod remembered giving chase to the fugitive he had once respected and then all he remembered was a bright light and now here he was.

Where was he now?

He turned as he heard something coming towards him, a rough tirade of screeches and military clicks as soldiers leapt out of their Jeeps and surrounded him their guns armed and primed on him. They spoke in a strange dialect. He, however, knew exactly what they were saying, it was the same as what he would say in his situation.

"Stand down!"

"Put your hands on your head!"

"Do not move!"

Zod looked at them curiously. They were shaking. Why were they shaking? They had him surrounded. They had weapons whereas he was unarmed. So, why were they so afraid. He looked down at the shard remains of the boy. He looked up at the sun, it was not red. It was yellow.

"Earth," Zod sneered as he realised where he was, ignoring the demands of the soldiers. Such lowly humans dared to challenge him; they had no idea of what they were dealing with.

Zod turned. His face was still and fixed, clear of emotion, a dark look in his eyes as he kept his eyes fixed on one of the soldiers. He stared intently at the man who held his gun trained on him, his eyes staring back at Zod. Zod could see fear as beads of sweat dripped down from the man's temple matting in his black beard. He adjusted his grip as Zod continued to stare at him as though there was no one else there. No one giving him demands, no one else with a gun pointed at the alien. Just them. The alien general and the human soldier.

Zod made his move. He kept his eyes fixed on the man as he held his foot in mid air stretched out in front of him. The man was agitated now. He was shaking. They all were. He looked at the man, as if daring him to make his shot. He didn't.

So Zod made the first move.

Bang!

The gun fired as Zod's foot dropped to the ground as he moved forward and with in minutes gun fire exploded through the area all firing at Zod. Gun fire rung through the air as the bullets hit their target, the shells dropping to the ground ignominiously on the ground. The gun fire stopped as the futility of it all became all too evident as the men saw their target stood very much alive and very much unharmed.

"My god!" the man stammered in terror at the sight.

"No," Zod growled dangerously, disappearing in a blur and rocketing back and forth in a flurry of attacked. The man backed up and yet could not move as his entire body was frozen in horror as he saw his comrades disappearing in a blur, returning fallen to the ground; broken and dead. The blur shot back and forth getting closer and closer towards the solder as each one of his comrades fell. He turned to run only for a gush of wind to explode in his face knocking him back a bit as Zod appeared before him. His comrades fallen, he looked up at Zod in despair as he expected to meet his end. "I am Zod," Zod sneered coldly as his eyes flashed red and then shot forth two streaks of fire followed by blood curdling scream that went on for so long no one in the preceding area would be able to forget it.

* * *

><p>Silence fell in the East Room of the White House as all who had been invited stood and waited as they looked over at the podium and chairs sat on a small stage at the end of the room. Sat waiting on the stage were the Scoobies, along with the President, Maxwell Lord, the Chief of Staff and some generals who represented the many Defence Departments. The President stepped forth towards the podium prompting the silence.<p>

"Thank you. We are here today to commemorate the loss of many lives that we lost during the Battle of Metropolis," he began gravely watching the audience as they bowed their head or looked on sadly at some of the people they lost, "but we are also here, to move forward. To build bridges and be aware of the world in which we live in. We are now aware that we are not the only species dominating our world. We are now one of many; demons, vampires, metahumans, aliens and many more. As I look around you today, I see many of different colours, different orientations and different origins. We are all different and our land is a multi-cultured society, one that I am proud of."

"But while we remain open to other races and welcome intergalactic and supernatural relations," He continued darkly as he changed subject. "We will not adhered to threats to our civilization. Both representatives of the Justice League and the Slayers have informed both I and Mr Lord, our new Liaison in Metahuman and Paranormal Affairs of the inert dangers of demons and vampires and the threats we face. In the past few months, fear of the unknown has clouded our judgement and we must not allow this to continue. Our fears do not determine our future, they merely taint it."

"So today," He continued looking on at the crowd some of which looking slightly ashamed or refusing to look at the man, while others just looked on defiantly, "we welcome a new era and new allies. We have welcomed the Justice League to help fight our intergalactic threats but today we welcome the Slayers. The ones chosen to fight the forces of evil."

The President held up his arm to greet the Scoobies as Xander stood up and walked over to podium among rapturous applause. The President shook his hand and patted his shoulder, they both smiled at each other yet both knew what the other was thinking. 'don't screw this up'. The President returned to his seat as he allowed Xander to take centre stage.

"Thank you, Mr President," Xander began humbly. He looked out at the crowd knowing what he had to say, knowing that he had practised for this and gone through it all with Giles. He couldn't believe it all, that he was now a General and was standing in the middle of the White House talking with some of the most powerful people in the world. If only his parents could see him now, they'd know he wasn't worthless. He was important. "My name is Xander Harris. I am not a girl chosen to fight the forces of evil. I am not an ensouled vampire fighting for redemption. I don't have super strength or any sort of powers. I am like you; human."

"For nearly thirteen years, I have fought against vampires and demons," Xander continued as he hooked them in with a common trait. They were human. He had their trust now and he had their attention. "I've seen things that will turn the toughest toy soldier into a gibbering wreck and here I stand. I began this in High School, working with Buffy, the Vampire Slayer, to stop the things that go bump in the night. I have worked with Slayers, vampire and superheroes and I can tell you one thing; they're here to help. We are all here to help. We welcome all who wish to join and we welcome your support..."

Xander's speech was cut short as he heard whispering behind him. He turned covering the mike as he saw an Aide speaking with one of the generals. Clark watched closely, knowing something was wrong. He focused his hearing on them as he tried to listen to see what was going on.

"_Problem?" _Xander asked.

"_There's an 'incident' in Kahndaq," _one of the generals replied darkly and Clark noted the coldness in his voice as he addressed Xander. "_A supernatural one_."

"Sorry, ladies and gents," Xander's voice came over the mike causes Clark to jump a bit as his hearing was still focused on them. Clark turned to see a commotion as people whispered and wondered what was going on. "Duty calls," Xander shrugged leaving the stage giving Clark a quick glance. Clark nodded.

"Whoa, what do you think is going on?" Lois asked curiously.

"Lois, can you hold Dawn?" Clark said taking his little friend from his pocket and placing in a taken aback Lois' hand. "I need to see what's going on."

Before Lois could argue, Clark was gone leaving her holding Dawn in her hand dumbfounded. "Don't worry Lois," Dawn squeaked looking up at Lois, "we can have some _girl talk," _she looked at Lois knowingly, "we have lots to talk about."

Oh boy, Lois thought.

* * *

><p>It didn't take Clark long to get out of the White House, mainly due to Super speed, he used his communicator to patch into Willow's frequency to tell them he'd meet them in Kahndaq. He changed in his Superman gear and rocketed into the air crossing the ocean as fast as he could.<p>

As he made it Kahndaq, he saw the destruction. His eyes widened at the fire and burning smoke filling air. The terrain was near destroyed and the homes of many left in rumble. Jeeps and tanks were left over turned and thrown against buildings. Whatever did this, was strong. He listened in hard to find the source. Really, he didn't have to look far as he heard gunfire and explosions occurring from the north. Superman shot to the left as he saw tank flew through the air missing him by an inch.

What could do all this?

Superman rocketed down coming to a stop as he saw men being taken down by a blur. A black blur. Its speed was incredible and it ripped through their machinery and weapons like tin foil. It came to a stop and fear filled Superman as _he_ looked up at him.

"Kal-El," Zod growled coldly as he looked up at him from his pit of destruction.

"_Zod!_" Superman breathed in terror.

* * *

><p><strong>Author Note:<strong> Well looks like things have gone really bad. How will Lois cope with the 'talk' from Dawn?! Will Clark be able to defeat Zod? And how did he get to Earth? Find out next time! Next chapter: _The Battle in Kahndaq!_


	4. The Last Sons

**Chapter Three**

**The Last Sons**

It didn't take long for Lois and Dawn to find somewhere quiet to talk. After all of the commotion of the Scoobies leaving the White House aides had led the guests to some drinks, although the press was abuzz with this and no doubt Clark was on the trail. Lois felt a pang on envy as she thought of her partner getting the scoop. She'll of course get the buzz from the Defence Departments while, Clark does what he's doing but before that he was going to have to talk to Dawn. She'd insisted.

"So, how long have you had feelings for Clark?" Dawn asked as they made their way to the White House toilets, Lois placing Dawn gently down on the base of the sink. Dawn set down on one of the taps as Lois both half sat and leaned on the base of the sink.

"How did you know?" Lois asked her voice shakey and surprisingly for Lois, vulnerable. It surprised Dawn as Lois always seemed in charge and together if not a bit energetic and yet here she was showing just how nervous she was with the subject. It reminded Dawn of her sister.

"Moment I saw you," Dawn replied with a shrug. It had been pretty obvious, mainly due to the way they interacted and the way they looked at each other. It was a look of longing as though they both want something to happen and yet are holding back. "It wasn't hard to figure out. So how long?"

"I don't know. I suppose in a way we've always kind of liked each other, despite all the bickering," Lois shrugged, "I mean, the first time I met Clark he was somewhat _clothing impaired_."

"Yeah, I remember the flannel," Dawn grimaced as she thought back to Clark's assortment of flannel shirts. Even now, Clark's taste in clothing wasn't all that good, especially his obsession with red, blue and yellow it was like he knew those would be his superhero colours.

"I was talking more the nakedness," Lois replied, blushing as she thought back to that day. It was hazy, after all it had been been nearly eight years, but she still remembered little Clark. They both looked away from each other in embarrassment, "I think we've both denied it. Mainly due to Buffy, but since..." she paused as she saw Dawn looking down sadly, "well you know, we've gotten closer. We both faced losses and I guess we needed one another. Clark needed someone to give him a kick up the ass and well, I'm the not best person to talk about my feelings."

"No kidding," Dawn retorted sarcastically with a wry smile as Lois glared down at her. "So, why haven't you made with the dating yet?"

Lois paused as she thought on this and then threw her head back in exasperation getting up and pacing as she ran her hands through her hair her brain completely frazzled. "I can't believe I'm having this conversation with a doll," Lois cried with exasperation as she paced up and down, "I mean, yeah do I love Clark? Yes. Do I want to be with him? Yes. But, what if he's not over Buffy? What if I'm just setting myself up for the big gut punch? What if... I'm not enough for him?"

"Okay one, Buffy is dead," Dawn said bluntly, that sentence killing her inside, but she had long come to accept that fact and despite people dancing around it and it still hurting, they had to accept it. "Clark knows that, I know that, you know it. Not accepting that isn't going to do any good. Besides, Clark is totally into you and considering you just said the L word you are too. Buffy, would want Clark to move on, she wouldn't want him to be sad and alone. And lastly, why wouldn't you be enough for him? You strong, confident and totally bad-ass! Clark, knows that and he's nuts about you."

"I don't have super powers, though," Lois said flatly as she leant against one of the stalls, "I'm not a superhero."

"And?" Dawn replied outraged at hearing Lois talk so desparaging about herself. "You Lois Lane? Kick ass reporter. Since when have you needed superpowers?"

"Dawn, I know," Lois said quietly.

"Then what's the problem?"

"No, Dawn _I know_!" Lois said firmly looking up at her. Dawn finally clicking on to what Lois was saying.

"Oh," Dawn replied understanding Lois at last. Okay, this was complicated.

* * *

><p>Superman dropped to the ground as he faced the man he thought long since defeated. It had been seven years since he and Zod had last met and fought, Clark had been inexperienced and untrained when he had fought Zod, whereas Zod was both experienced and trained and nearly overpowered him. His plan back then was to reshape Earth into a New Krypton and he nearly succeeded. What was his plan now? How did he escape the Phantom Zone? Superman didn't know.<p>

But, what really perplexed Superman was how Zod had got his body back. Zod's crimes had been so heinous that he had been banished to the Phantom Zone and left as a phantom, his body destroyed and then only way to escape was to take over another. That was how he escaped last time, using Lex Luthor's body he had escaped and then tried to take over the world. It was that process that led to Buffy's death as she sacrificed herself to stop Zod's escape. She had been too late.

Superman stood and looked closely at the figure before him. Zod was tall and well built, yet not hulking more slender and refined. His clothes were torn yet Superman recognized the armour as old Kryptonian battle armour, but that was impossible. There was no way he could have got such a thing. He recognized them from the records in the Fortress but most importantly, he recognized the man as Zod. It wasn't as though he had taken over someone else's body. He had his own body back.

"How did you escape the Phantom Zone?" Superman asked him as he landed folding his arms in an authoritative way. If there was a breach in the Phantom Zone, he had to know and rectify it.

"I am not from the Zone," Zod replied coldly as he looked at Clark with pure hatred. "Where am I?"

"Earth," Superman replied confused at hearing this. He wasn't from the zone, then where had he come from.

"And what of Krypton?" Zod asked curiously.

"It blew up," Clark replied sadly, "I am the last survivor."

"_You_?" Zod snarled harshly as he looked at Clark with white hot rage. His eyes bulged as he looked Clark over. "You are an abomination who is not worthy of wearing those colours or that crest."

"The only abomination I see is you," Superman replied coldly as he looked around at the destruction Zod had wrecked, "now, stand down. You've done enough damage here."

"You dare give me orders?!" Zod replied looking now like a caged animal ready to pounce. His fists were clenched and his whole body was tense as though he was holding himself back from attacking. This was a different Zod than the one he had met before. Last time he was calm and collected, he kept his emotions in check even when faced with the son of his jailer. Now, Zod seemed unable to contain himself when even close to Clark. "You are the cause of our planet's death. You are unnatural. A disgusting thing that should never have been born!"

"Excuse me?" Superman replied taken aback as he heard what Zod had just said. "I think you'll find your actions led to Krypton's death. Your war destroyed the planet and left it to rot!"

"You lie!" Zod roared his eyes flaring up as he anger threatened to break free. "You destroyed our planet. You brought the white light upon us. It was foretold. I know! Your death will calm the universe!"

"You need to calm down," Superman said urgently stepping forward and holding his hand out to calm Zod down. He could see Zod was losing it, he wasn't making any sense. Something was wrong. "Just stop and think. What your saying is crazy? How can a child destroy a planet? Just don't do anything to these people. Let me help you."

"You offer me help," Zod hissed coldly as he looked as though he was about to explode. The entire fibre of his being was contorted in anger as though it was just a struggle to contain his anger and stop himself from killing Clark. "You!"

Clark readied himself as Zod zoomed towards him in a blur, although he wasn't quick enough as Zod barrelled into him both of them flying across the Kahnaq skyline like to torpedoes exploding through the entire landscape. Clark crashed to the ground getting his balance as he escaped Zod's grasp. He dug his feet into the ground and bracing himself as Zod came to a stop in front of him leaping at him and punching at him. Clark dodged it, ducking underneath and giving an uppercut in returning. Zod flew into the air dropping to the ground, he placed his hands down to the ground as he fell propelling himself back towards Clark, both feet colliding sharply in his gut. Clark recoiled, winded for a moment, giving Zod the upper hand as he steadied himself with one hand on the ground spinning in mid-air landing his foot into Clark's face as delivered a swift kick knocking Clark off balance. He flipped back up on his feet throwing his elbow in the back of Clark's head sending him crashing to the ground. Zod turned on his heels, as Clark started to groggily get up from the ground, sending a earth shattering kick to Clark's mid section sending him flying through at least five buildings.

* * *

><p>The Scooby-Jet rocketed across the Mediterranean Sea heading straight for the Kahndaq at Mach 2, a sense of urgency coming from the people inside as Faith and Giles readied the small band of Slayers they had assembled in the Washington base. It had been a mad rush just getting this far after being alerted by the Defence Department of what was going on.<p>

Xander had alerted the Slayer cell in Washington to prep the Scoobie-Jet; their new superjet that all Slayer cells had, able to make Mach 2 in no time. Just what they needed. Plus, there was was always the added bonus that it was fitted with every magical upgrade imaginable to allow for faster travel during emergencies. Willow stood in the middle of the jet her arms outstretched, magical energy seeping from her as Xander piloted the ship, the magiks energizing the jet and giving its super sonic speed; it wasn't Clark fast but it'll do.

"How long till we land this bucket?" Faith asked rubbing the Slayer scythe she had inherited from Buffy. As the next chosen Slayer she was the right person to wield it, like the last time she wielded it; it felt good.

"We should be there in ten minutes," Willow replied with strain as she pushed everything she had to power the ship.

"Don't push yourself, Willow, if what we've heard is true this creature may of unimaginable power," Giles warned her with concern as he saw the strain in which she was showing on her face. The jet was a marvel to behold, powered by the magicks it acted on small bursts building in its engines to power its magical capabilities. Magical weaponry, shielding and of course the big red button. Usually they never pressed the big red button but today it was an emergency. Using all of the magic energy within the ship the big red button caused a sort of lightspeed-warpspeed-teleportation affect to teleport them in short bursts across whole oceans. It was due to the Apokoliptian Boom Tubes that they had been able to do it, with the help of the Justice League they had used bits of it to create these ships as well teleportation devices for the Justice League and the ships for the Slayers. The only weakness with this was that it had to be powered by Willow or one of their witches, if not it would just be like any normal super jet; except not as cool.

"If we don't get their fast, people could die," Willow gulped as she held her stance despite knowing how much energy she was putting in the jet.

"Will, Giles is right," Xander said firmly as he continued to pilot the jet. "We don't know what we're getting into here. We need to be prepared and be ready."

"We have enough magical voodoo in the bucket to last us until we get there, Red," Faith cried as she placed a hand on her shoulder. Willow sighed with acceptance putting her arms down and resting for a moment. She sat down composing herself as she realised just how much she had pushed herself.

She just hoped she could make a difference in the battle. She had to be better than last time.

* * *

><p>Superman groaned as he pushed what had to be three walls off of him, he was near invulnerable but being punched by a being as strong as him threw five buildings can really hurt. He dug himself out of the stone and rubble feeling the aches and pains coming from his gut and well most of his face.<p>

"Guess I shouldn't be surprised. He is a four star general," Clark groaned as he rubbed the back of his head which was smarting a bit. He steadied himself and listened closely as he heard a sonic boom heading his way. He had to be on his guard. He was different than the last time he had fought Zod, he had been trained; not just by Jor-El but, Buffy and in the past few months Diana and somewhat reluctantly, Batman. It had been reluctant on both parts, Bruce didn't have the time to waste play fighting and Clark well, he'd seen Bruce fight and he'd fought alongside the man who had every contingency set... yeah he wasn't going to fight him, not even if the President of the United States told him to. It had been a school of hard knocks but Clark was a better fighter than he once was, not that he liked to fight but a needs must.

He saw it! The black blur heading his way, Superman rocketed towards it connecting with Zod with an earth shattering punch as Zod gave the same in return. Both fists connected sending an explosion rippling across the desert plain. The earth cracked between them sinking into a crater beneath them as they both flew backwards crashing into the ground. Superman caught himself, gaining some momentum and flipping himself to a stop and then shooting up to the sky following the same black blur that evaded him.

Zod had recovered quick. Quicker than Clark had, he must have held back a bit too much. He couldn't do that. Superman looked back at the wreckage below them. He had to get Zod away from civilization. He had to get him away from people.

Superman propelled himself towards Zod rocketing towards him surprising the Kryptonian general mid-air as he crashed into his mid section, grabbing him around the waist and sending him flying through the air until finally they began crashing towards the desert plain miles away from any sign of people. They crashed into the sand dunes and sand spitting up into the air like a huge spire and then collapsing down on them. Superman took the moment to deliver a punch to the face at Zod as the sand in which he had crashed down into kept him half buried for the moment.

Zod's fist flew at Superman's cracking him square in the jaw, sand spurting through the air along with Clark's blood. Zod began to deliver a tirade of punches as he pushed himself off the ground until he standing. He swung a punch, Superman blocked it and delivered his own. Fists swung, parried and blocked as a flurry of punches were flung between them. They both caught each other's punches causing a stalemate as they both barred down on each other in a sheer competition of strength to see which of the two would break. Their feet buried in the ground as the pushed the other in this titanic tug of war. Only one could win. Superman glared at him with determination as Zod returned him a glare of pure hatred. Across the world no one would know that this battle was being held; except a small minority. But, they would know one thing; this was a battle of the ages.

A battle between the Last sons of Krypton.

"Had enough?!" Superman growled through the strain as he pushed hard to keep his strength up, not giving Zod an inch.

"Kal-El," Zod spat coldly as he too pushed himself to gain the upper hand, "I've only just begun."

A smile crept across Zod's face that confused Clark for a moment. That moment was all Zod needed as he let his strength leave him bring Superman towards him and then with his strength returned pulled Clark down to his knee, slamming his face into it. Superman threw his head back in pain as Zod sent a blast of heat vision at his chest sending him flying across the sand dunes.

* * *

><p>"What was that?" Xander cried as he saw the huge explosion of sand fly up through the air a few miles a head of them.<p>

"Call me crazy but, I'm guessing its our signal to get a move on!" Faith cried as she held her scythe ready for battle. "Punch it, Watcher-guy!"

Xander didn't need telling twice as the jet sped forward manuvering through the desert mountains towards whatever battle Clark was wrapped up in.

* * *

><p>The sand flew into the air an Clark found himself half buried in it. Zod zoomed over to him slamming his foot on Clark's burnt chest.<p>

"Ahhh!" Superman cried in pain.

"Yes, scream," Zod hissed viciously as he sadistically enjoyed Clark's pain, "you who would stand there and call yourself 'hero'. But I see you, Kal-El. You are a curse upon this planet, on Krypton and all those you touch."

A loud hum echoed from above catching both of the Kryptonian's attention. Zod looked curiously at the flying vehicle. Clark looked up weakly as he tried to push past the pain to get Zod off of him.

"Friends of yours?" Zod asked knowingly as he noticed Superman trying to break free. "You have no friends, Kal-El. They are merely your victims and you will watch their pain."

"Noo!" Superman cried as he saw Zod's eyes flash red and a two blasts of heat explode forth flying straight at the Scooby-Jet. Clark looked on helpless as Zod made his first move against him.

* * *

><p><strong>Author Note:<strong> _Well the battle's begun. Who will win? What does Lois Know? What's up with Willow? And what is going on with Zod?! Find out NEXT TIME: STOP ZOD!_


	5. The Final Play

**Chapter Four **

**The Final Play**

The Scooby-Jet swooped down through the Kahndaq desert as they neared the battle. Xander kept a fair distance and began to prep the weapons as they readied themselves for a fight. Meanwhile, the other Slayers readied their weapons as Faith oversaw them with the usual tension in the air that usually accompanied the coming of battle. They all knew they were flying into the unknown, they didn't even know what battle they were walking into.

"My god!" Giles cried in horror, his eyes widened and gaped at the scene below him. It was truly monstrous as he looked down at the Kahndaq village. Ash and smoke filled the sky as they flew over the now destroyed town as it hung literally on a thread. The homes lay flattened and destroyed, rubble strewn across the streets. Tiny dots that could only be panicked people ran scattered all over to the bits of rubble as they clawed at it trying to pull their families and friends from beneath the wreckage. If not for being so high up, Giles was sure he would be able to hear the screams and cries for help coming from below.

"What could have done this?" Willow gasped, tears dripping from her eyes as she looked down from the cockpit window along with the rest of the Slayers, all of which looked on awestruck and horrified by the scenes below.

"I don't know," Xander replied dumbfounded, unable to fathom what could have done this. What where they walking in on?

"We have to do something!" Willow gulped as she tried to pull herself out of her stupor.

"Right," Xander nodded snapping himself out of it. "Giles, you lead a rescue team. Valerie, Anna, Soph! You're with Giles. Faith, Willow and Amy. You're with me."

As Xander's authoritative voice boomed through the jet it didn't take long for battle stations to come into affect as Giles and the other Slayers prepared themselves. "Be careful," Giles said seriously knowing full well that whatever they were walking in to was going to be a fight for their lives. He stood in the middle of the jet as Willow teleported them away and with in minutes they appeared in a green haze in the wreckage of the town.

That had been five minutes ago. The longest five minutes in which Giles could remember, his thoughts remained with the others as he and the Slayers quickly and effectively joined the rescue groups, splitting up and taking different areas to provide assistance. They were met with some apprehension as the Kahndaq people saw the only the strangers that had appeared out of thin air. They ignored it and carried on.

Giles stopped to fix his glasses looking up at the sky as though hoping to see some sign of how the battle was heading. He wished he could be there, but his place was here. He wasn't their Watcher any more. He had others to watch over he thought as he looked over the young girls helping pull people out of the wreckage, some of which were no younger than fifteen. The oldest, Anna, placed a hand on Giles' shoulder. "They'll be fine, Mr Giles," she said reassuringly as she sensed what was troubling her watcher.

He smiled at her as she stood before him, sixteen and bubbly, blond and with a world weary expression cast on her face. She reminded himself so much of Buffy when he had met her. Blond, young and hiding her pain behind her bubbly personality; like Buffy they had grown close over the past few months and yet Giles knew he had to keep her at arms length. He couldn't go through the same pain again.

"I know," he nodded returning his glasses to the bridge of his nose. "Carry on with leading the group. I'll join you in a moment." She nodded sadly and returned to the search. A pang of guilt hit Giles as she walked off downhearted, it was always the same when he showed her some affection and then took it away in an instant. It was hard not having those same paternal feelings return, but he had to be strong and keep her at bay and yet deep down he knew that he felt deeply for Anna. The same as he did for all of them.

Perhaps, Quinton was right to fire him, Giles thought, he always did seem to gain a father's love for the girls he watched over. Perhaps it was his curse. He turned and returned to his work, but silently prayed that the others would be safe.

"Yo! Professor!" Sophie called from afar as she referred to him by his usual nickname, much to Giles' chagrin and constant reminders that he had in fact been a librarian. She waved him over as he looked up at her from a few metres away. "I found something!"

What, now? Giles thought as he marched over toward were Sophie was leading him to. He hoped the others were having more luck than him.

* * *

><p>It happened out of nowhere, Xander having no time to react as they made their way to their destination only to be met with two balls of fire slamming into the jet. Xander veered right as the balls shot towards them and quickly tried to put the shields up. The others behind him readied themselves for impact but were to late as one of the fireballs slammed into their right side wing just as the shields flickered on. The jet rocked as it was hit, debris from the wing flying off into the distance, flames furring in the wind as what remained of the wing was left destroyed and burning.<p>

Xander pressed at every button and held onto the dear life as he tried to pilot the plane to safe landed. Screams echoed behind him as the others tried to keep their heads and their lives. Willow flurried her hands and tried to put up as much magical protection as she could as she tried to shield them from the impact. Faith fell into her seat and as she tried to keep balance. Amy held on to the hand straps hanging from the roof of the jet as she tried to brace herself from landing, despite the fact that everything in her was terrified as she felt her feet coming under her uncontrollable.

"Everybody hold on!" Xander roared as he pulled on the yoke to pull up for a landing and gain control of the jet. "Willow get the shields up!"

"I'm trying!" Willow cried as she tried to put up the protection spells, it wasn't working, all she could see was the panicked faces of her friends all looking at her for help and yet she knew, she wouldn't be able to. They had warned her, but she could feel it slipping, the exhaustion taking over as she tried to push herself but the strain becoming too much. She couldn't do it. She couldn't hold it.

* * *

><p>Superman couldn't take it any more as he watched up as his friends fought to stop themselves from crashing to their deaths as the mad man who held him down watched and laughed coldly at him. He looked down at Superman as though he was enjoying watching him struggle; watching him in pain. Superman felt the anger boil inside him. He couldn't take any more.<p>

Zod's eyes widened with surprise as he looked down at Superman who with a quick motion grabbed the General's foot twisting it and pushing upwards knocking Zod off balance. Suddenly, Superman was up sending a iron clad punch to Zod's face, followed by another and another knocking Zod backwards unable to believe the man's strength and unable to counter as Superman dealt an earth shattering punch to the jaw sending Zod rocketing miles until he collided into the desert mountains, the ground shaking on impact and a huge crack snapping across it, breaking the mountain in half.

Superman turned and without thinking shot off from the ground following the jet as it fell aimlessly towards the ground a streak of smoke trailing behind as it fell. He pushed himself hard as he moved closer circling underneath as he aimed for the front tip of the jet in order stop its fall.

* * *

><p>Alarms flared in the jet and red lights flickered. Xander tried everything he could to switch the magical protection back on but whatever had hit them had knocked out the reservoir leaving the magical energy draining drastically from the jet. Their only chance was Willow.<p>

"Willow, now would be a good time to click your ruby slips!" Xander quipped sardonically yet with a hint of panic tinged in as he felt himself losing control of the jet. Beads of sweat fell down his face as the strain of losing his grip of the yoke became to much.

"I can't!" Willow cried as she pushed hard in her own magical reservoir to control the ship. It was no use. She was out.

"Red! It's now or never!" Faith cried as she grabbed hold of hand straps grabbing hold of Amy as she began to slip.

"Oh man, why couldn't I have been a ballerina instead of this!" Amy cried as fear broke out of her as she felt herself falling bringing the idea of crashing so much more real as all control left her, only the iron tight grip of Faith keeping her from going down with the plane.

Suddenly, they came to a slow stop and began to descend with some control and softly began to descend. They looked at each other wide eyed unable to believe it. Amy got up shakily grabbing hold of Faith with her arms wrapped around her as though thanking her for saving her. Faith looked shocked yet sympathetic giving her a tap as she continued to hold on to hand straps to keep balance.

"What happened?!" Xander asked shocked his eye bulging as the jet steadily descended. "Will?"

"Not me," Willow replied guiltily dropping down in her seat disheartened and unable to look at her friend. They had gotten lucky, luck they wouldn't have needed if it weren't for her.

"Superman!" Amy squealed as she looked over at the cockpit window to see Superman floating in front of the place as he dropped it gently to the ground.

"Yeah he is," Xander sighed with relief as he fell back into his seat as he tried to process what just happened. That was close. What had attacked them? Whatever it was it was powerful and from the looks of Clark; very powerful. He looked over a downtrodden Willow with concern. What had happened there?

* * *

><p>"How long have you known?" Dawn asked nervously breaking what had to have been at least ten minutes of awkward silence, which for Lois was saying something since Dawn had never seen that woman shut up. She could give Buffy a run for her money, Dawn thought to herself.<p>

"I suppose I've always known," Lois shrugged trying to remember when she had figured it out. "I mean, the first time I met him he was hit by lightning and was stark naked in a field in the middle of Smallville, with no memory of who he was and acting well... alien. So, I knew he was weird even back then."

"Clark's not weird," Dawn defended him hotly. Lois gave her a knowing look, "okay maybe he isn't but he's pretty cool..."

"Yeah I know," Lois replied quickly realising she had said the wrong thing or rather her mouth wasn't communicating with her brain. A common problem with her. "I know, that Clark is a great guy. Its just, you look at someone one way and then suddenly, you see them in a whole different way."

"What? Alien? Superhero?" Dawn asked trying to get to bottom of all this and not quite liking where Lois was heading, "freak?"

Lois' turned to Dawn sharply, her eyes giving her daggers and burning with outrage at what Dawn was implying. "Lets get one thing straight, Raggedy Anne!" she began dangerously sending a chill down Dawn's toy-like spine, honestly wasn't really she what he anatomy was like nor did she want to know, but point is she was scared. "This is not me going all anti-superhero or freak happy on Clark. I've been supportive of the Supers since they started, I've wrote exposes and articles all in support of them! I've argued with politicians and business tycoons on the subject! So, no this isn't about me rejecting Clark, this is about..."

She stopped unable to say the words and Dawn finally understood.

"This is about Clark rejecting you," Dawn replied softly and with understanding, sitting up and walking across the basin and placing her hand onto Lois'.

"He could have any woman," Lois replied sadly, for once Dawn seeing the insecurities of the strong woman underneath. "He's fought gods, he's dated Slayers, he hangs around with super powered woman all of them could give him what he wants. Why would he want to be with a woman who acts tough just to hide the fact that she can't compete."

"With Buffy," Dawn nodded knowingly, knowing all too well how Lois was feeling. Living with the Chosen One and then a thousand of Chosen Ones is always tough and you do feel like you have to compete with them. But, being so small you kind of see things in a whole new light. Lois nodded guiltily, knowing it was stupid to feel this way. "Lois, what do you see when you think of Clark? Superman or Clark Kent?"

"Clark," Lois said without missing a beat. Sure she saw him as Superman, but in actuality the person she knew was Clark Kent. He was the goofy farm boy who annoyed her during college; well before she got kicked out.

"Do you think Clark thinks you need to compete with Buffy?" Dawn asked her firmly. "Of course he doesn't," continued before Lois could reply, "it wasn't Buffy's powers or the fact that she was the Chosen One that Clark fell for. He fell for her because she was strong, she could challenge him, she could be vulnerable around him and he could be the same with him. Does he act that way around you?"

"Yeah but..."

"No buts!" Dawn cried closing her eyes in defiance and holding her hand up making her look even more ridiculous despite the seriousness of what she was going to say, "Clark's Superhero, yes, he's an alien, but he's also a man and despite everything he admires you above all else. I've heard him talk about you. He has a twinkle whenever he talks about saving you..."

"He doesn't save me all the time," Lois grumbled with arms folded.

"I have a list," Dawn replied not buying it after hearing all the stories from Clark, "the point is; Lois Lane, the woman who climbs the Eiffel Tower full of terrorists for a story, who would run into a crack den to foil a drug smuggling operation, who would join a wrestling ring to gain information on strange murders, she wouldn't run away from anything. She'd run right into it even if it meant getting hurt... like Clark. That's your superpower!" she cried nudging Lois with encouragement.

"Don't patronise me, kid," Lois replied sharply, softening quickly, "thanks."

"Hey, I'm here for preschoolers and investigative reporters alike," Dawn shrugged happily at seeing her work was done. "So, what are you going to do?"

Lois opened her mouth to answer only to stop as the door of the toilet opened and closed with a slam and there stood was a man. He was plump and middle-aged with wavey brown hair and mutton chops, a creepy child-like smile on his face as he beamed at them threw his round rimmed glasses. "Hey, Ladies present pervo!" Lois snapped when she saw him though as she saw him she knew he shouldn't be here, grabbing hold of Dawn and placing her in her pocket. He wore a black and green striped leather coat that matched his green pock-a-dot shirt and his pants were purple giving him a strange clown look. "Okay buddy, I don't know what you think your up to but either you leave or you deal with hundred weight of secret service agents. Or worse _me_!"

The man smiled courteously with a small giggle and dipped his hand in his pocket, producing a bouncy ball. He bounced it playfully on the ground a couple of times, his eyes fixed on Lois who looked at him dumbfounded.

"What the hell...?!" Lois began, suddenly recoiling as the man threw the ball straight at her, the ball exploding sending a purple gas into the air. Lois covered her mouth as the gas filled the room and her lungs, within seconds she felt her body go dumb and her knees go weak. She fell to the ground paralysed unable to do anything as the man dipped into her pocket grabbing Dawn. Lois wanted to kick her and grab down, she fought against the numbing agent to do so but with no avail. The man smiled at his prize.

"The Toyman has a play date," the man chimed happily turning on his feels and skulking to the door, "Oh yes, he does!"

Lois lay there helpless, wanting to scream, wanting to alert someone but unable to. She looked up as the fire alarm went off, the man obviously planning his escape. She swore once she was free of this, she would find him and he will pay.

* * *

><p>Giles moved cautiously to were Sophie was leading him to, Veronica and Anna following behind with curiosity. He heard chanting from around the corner as some of the locals seemed to have created a parameter around whatever it was. He moved forward, making his way through the crowd. A bright light penetrated the crowd as he got closer. They all looked at him with shared reverence as though he was going some sort of miracle. As neared the end of the crowd he was met with Sophie who pointed to a crater, It was glowing, a flashing violent light permeating from the inside.<p>

"Impossible," Giles gasped as he stepped to the edge of the crater looking down to see a slither of white energy flowing violently and tranquilly out of the crater all at the same time.

"What is it?" Anna asked apprehensively upon seeing it and also seeing the reaction of the people around them.

"Its a... rip," Giles gulped as he saw backing up slightly as though not wanting to be near it, "A rip in the dimensional fabric of the universe... the world is doomed."

* * *

><p><strong>Author Note: <strong>Well Toyman's made his move, Zod is still on the loose, there's a rip in the universe... Yeah the world is definitely doomed! NEXT CHAPTER: _Toyman's play date!_


	6. The Three Way Crisis

**Chapter Five **

**Three-Way Crisis**

Dawn awoke, her head groggy and dazed as she got up not knowing where she was. The last thing she remembered was talking with Lois about Clark. She looked around at her surroundings having no clue where she was. She was in some sort of Victorian building or rather she thought as she suddenly realised that everything was proportioned to her size. She looked closely at the furniture, everything was plastic.

She was in a doll house!

She gasped as the wall of the house swung open to reveal the chubby face of her captor. It was then she remembered what had happened; he had gassed them in the bathroom and took her. She had been knocked out but before she blacked out she saw him take her from Lois. Lois, what had happened with Lois? She thought.

"Hello, my dear," the man said cheerfully his eyes beaming hugely at her, "am so glad your awake. I was worried I may have overdid it with the gas."

"Yeah well, maybe you should gas people in toilets!" Dawn coughed still getting some of the fumes from her chest, "where's Lois?!"

"Oh, the other one," the man grumbled with disdain at the mention of Lois, in fact it was utter contempt, "she didn't want to play. So I left her out."

"If you've hurt her..." Dawn warned angrily.

"NOOO!" The man barked making Dawn jump with fright falling down to the floor with a thud, fear filling her as she saw the man change within an instant. He pressed his stubby finger into the doll house bedroom and prodded her warningly in the chest, "You play nice! Good toys last forever! Bad toys end up in the garbage!" His face softened as she saw the fear in Dawn's face. "Oh but you are a good girl aren't you? S-sorry, I know this is all very scary. I haven't even introduced myself. My name is Winslow Schott, but my friends call me Toyman."

"F-Friends?" Dawn stammered sarcastically not believing this man would have any friends. He was completely insane, but she didn't want to anger him.

"Oh yes, my friends," Toyman chuckled though there was a tinge of anger in his words. He stepped backward and moving out of the way, "come meet my friends."

Dawn got up from her feet, she was shaking in terror a horrible feeling in the pit of her stomach as she walked towards the edge of the dolls house looking up as Toyman gave her full view of the place she was being held. She gasped as she saw the vast and cluttered factory in which she was being held, conveyor belts snaked across machinery, toys were strewn across the dirty and shabby stone flooring. It looked like it hadn't been in operation for a while as the entire place was covered in dust and cobwebs hanging from every frame and machine.

To an outside observer, they were alone. She looked around as a hundred eyes watched her threateningly. Toy soldiers stood on shelves looking down on Dawn all of them brandishing their weapons and all of different sizes. Toy planes flew through the cobwebs and a loud hum echoing through the empty factory. Toys marched up and down the floor cordoning off any escape route for Dawn. She spun around as three GI Barbies climbed the stairs of the doll house blocking off any way out for her.

"As you can see," Toyman giggled excitedly as he bent down again so he was face to face with Dawn. "My friends are very insistent that you stay."

* * *

><p>Superman grabbed hold of a boulder pushing it away, he pulled away at the landslide that had occurred during his and Zod's fight. The mountain had fell and cracked causing rubble to fall on Zod when he made impact into the sand mountains. Superman looked around as he saw no sign of Zod. He had been looking for nearly an hour now, after making sure the Scoobies had been okay, only to find no sign of Zod.<p>

"Damn," Superman grumbled as realised Zod was long gone. At the speed Kryptonian's can go and the fact that Zod is both a tactical genius who's had his fair share of experience hiding behind enemy lines, it would be like trying to find a needle in a hay stack. God only know what Zod would do. Last time, he tried to recreate Krypton on Earth, but this was different; Zod was different. He wasn't the same Zod Clark had fought so many years ago. But even so, Clark had to act quick, he had always known Zod may return or Brainiac or some threat from his home planet and they would threaten the Earth. If that ever happened he knew what he had to do.

He flew back to the Scoobies dropping down as they all looked on despondent. Willow was slumped on the walkway of the jet, her hair covering her eyes to hide the look of shame. She had failed and the feeling of defeat had been gnawing at her insides for almost an hour as the others looked over at the damage down to the jet. Her powers had been like this for months, ever since the Battle of Metropolis she had been a little off. She could see Amy being comforted by Xander, she was practically shaking but refusing to admit anything was wrong. Willow could see Xander glancing over at him but she couldn't look at him.

"Zod's gone," Superman stated as he dropped down to the ground looking over the scene, "by now he could be anywhere."

"How can he be back?" Xander asked with confusion, last time they had fought Zod he had to possess Lex Luthor. Had he possessed someone else?

"I don't know," Superman replied folding his arms and looking to the ground pensively in deep thought, "but somehow, he has his original body back."

"Hold up," Faith cried waving her hands to call a halt to the conversation, confusion written across her face. "Who is this Zod? And what the hell just happened?"

"Zod was a military leader from Kryton who tried to take control before it destruction," Superman replied remembering that Faith wasn't with them when they last fought Zod. In fact, from what Buffy told him, Faith wasn't even a friend at that point, it was only later after the help from Angel that Faith changed her ways and became an ally. Clark could always see the look of regret on Faith's face as she got ready for a battle, it was as though everything she did now was repent for the crimes she had done. She didn't need to prove anything to him though, the fact that she felt remorse was proof enough for him that she was good. "For his crimes, he was banished to a prison called the Phantom Zone were his body was stripped and he lived forever as a phantom. Last time we fought he took over Lex Luthor's body and had all the powers I had and more..."

"Okay, okay, I got the long and short," Faith sighed rubbing the temple of her head as she felt a headache coming.

"Sorry, I never really thought how crazy my life sounds," Clark shrugged as he carried on with briefing everyone.

"Err... excuse me, Superman?" Amy suddenly piped up finding her voice back again after recovering from the initial shock of the day. Clark turned to her a little surprised she called him Superman so formally. He assumed most of the Slayers knew who he was; but obviously not, "If this Zod had his body ripped from him, then how can he have his original body?"

"I'm not sure but, he looks identical to the images in the Fortress' database," Clark replied not knowing how anything this is possible. He was told by Jor-El that Zod could never get his body back. "All of this doesn't matter though. We have to find Zod before he causes any more damage."

"But, how do we find him? And where do we even start?" Xander asked desperately, after all they were trying to track down someone as strong as Clark.

"I've alerted the League and J'onn has put every member on high alert. I'll be joining them soon," Superman replied urgently, "the new Watchtower should be up and running so we'll be able to search the entire planet. But, Zod's a tactical genius so if he doesn't want to be found we won't be able to."

There was an eerie silence between them as they let the imminent threat. It was a silence they had felt before many times before whenever they faced an enemy that threatened the entire world. It was the same when they had fought Zod before, Darksied, Brainiac... even Willow. Clark looked over at Willow who still remained cut off from the group. He walked forward seeing the shame and disappointment hidden underneath the locks of red hair hiding her face. It didn't take a genius to see how she was feeling. He gave Xander a look to indicate that he'll talk to her. Xander and Faith get the message and go off to fix the jet.

"Come on kid, time to put those mechanic skills to good use," Xander called over Amy as they moved to the jet to fix some of the damage that had been done. Amy walked away with Faith at her rear keeping her from peeking at the scene between Clark and Willow.

"Hey," Clark said quietly as he sat down next to Willow, sitting down on the rough sand his knees up and his arms resting limply against them as he leant against the walkway, "how are you doing?"

"I messed up,"Willow said weakly not looking up at Clark.

"How?!" Clark asked incredulously turning to look at her urgently; how could she think that?

"I wasn't strong enough," Willow sniffed back tears as she threw her head back in exasperation, rubbing her eyes to wipe the tears away. "I should have been able to save everyone. I thought I could. I mean, I've come a long way since..." she bowed her head rubbing her arm remembering the dark energies that had once crept up her body.

"You nearly went _there_ again, didn't you?" Clark replied with understanding what Willow was getting at. She was talking about her time as Dark Willow, after Tara had been killed when Willow in her grief had gone further in her access to different magicks and it nearly destroyed her. She nodded confirming what he thought. "Willow," he began sympathetically but was interrupted.

"I've been feeling it slipping for months," Willow interrupted quickly her eyes wide with disbelief at what she had just said as though it were involuntary or like she had bottled it up for so long that she couldn't contain it any more. Yet, at the same time there was fear in her eyes as she gauged Clark's reaction, "ever... ever since Buffy..."

"Why didn't you talk to someone?" Clark asked curiously.

"I..." she began then paused looking at him and then taking a breath as she tried to let it out, "do you ever feel like you can do anything? Like you can feel it inside you and you want to push harder than you ever believed you could but if you do... you feel like you'll just lose yourself."

"That's how I feel everyday," Clark chuckled knowingly as he placed a hand on her shoulder, "me just touching you right now. Its a lot of effort, I can feel it all across my arm every muscle keeping it together so that I don't hurt people. Its what I've lived with all my life and sometimes I know I can push myself harder and faster to do more than I ever could but if I did that... I'd become something like Zod."

"I just think like... I could do so much more," Willow sighed glad she got this off her chest but still not completely satisfied.

"Don't do what you think, do what you can," Clark replied earnestly patting her gently on the shoulder, "just because we have the power to change the world doesn't mean we need to do it by ourselves."

"Thanks," Willow smiled with some resolution as she felt a small weight lift off of her, but not too much. She still had that feeling inside but she felt good talking about it.

"No problem," Clark smiled warmly with a wink. They chuckled for a moment as Willow got herself together. Clark turned as he heard someone coming to them from behind, he turned to find a dishevelled Xander coming toward them. Clark stood up straight away and his usual Superman action voice, "what's the matter?"

"We got a problem," Xander said urgently.

* * *

><p>Lois' eyes flicked open and yet her head was still spinning, a bright light shone in her eyes flashing on and off as it moved about accompanied by muffled voices urgently around her. She felt like her head was going to explode as the room around her spun her. She heard someone say' she's coming around' as he placed her hands on the floor to push herself up from the ground. Her vision returned to her as she looked around to see at least ten Secret Service Agents looking over the scene as a doctor looked over her shining a light in her eye checking her pupils.<p>

"Hey buddy, you mind not shining that in my eyes. I've got a headache as it is without you adding to it," Lois groaned pushing the man's hand away thus moving the light out of her eyes.

"She's fine, if not a bit rude," the doctor said with annoyance to one of the secret service as he made his way to leave glaring back at the indignant Miss Lane, who rubbed her head in confusion.

"What happened?" Lois asked to no one in particular as she rubbed the side of her head. A sharp dull pain stabbed at her head from when she fell.

"We was hoping you could tell us," a gruff voice came from above. Lois looked up to see a tall and hard-faced man with grey silvery hair standing over her. Ugh Secret Service, she thought, that's all she needed. "We found you knocked out and the whole of this hallway combed with gas. So, what you gotta say for yourself?"

"What are you implying? That I gassed a hallway in the White House and knocked myself?" Lois snapped angrily, her head no longer hurting but being replaced by a white hot anger by the Secret Service man's allegations.

"I've read your articles. You have trouble with even the simplest of words," the agent sniffed snidely his face stiff and condescending, "you could have read the instructions of the bomb wrong."

"Why you..!" Lois growled angrily.

"Now, now, Miss Lane, lets just calm down shall we," came a voice from the door. Both the agent and Lois turned to the door to find Maxwell Lord leaning coolly against the door before stepping forward to enter the room now that he had everyone's attention, "stand down, Calvin. I've got this."

"This is my investigation, Lord," Calvin replied furiously. His face contorting and the wrinkles on his face tightening as he looked at the smug Lord incensed. "if it wasn't for your circus of freaks walking in here this wouldn't have happened! Damn, Vampire Slayers and Capes flying around! They think they can rule the world..."

"Can I quote you on that?" Lois piped up with a cruel smirk across her face as the colour in Calvin's face as he suddenly realised in his anger he had forgotten Lois was in the room. "I'm sure the President would be happy to hear that his staff don't share his vision for diversity and acceptance."

The colour returned to Calvin's face. He was red hot, his eyes bulged showing veins popping as he tried to contain his anger. Every fibre in his body was ready to explode and he grit his teeth just suppress it. He turned and stomped off, pushing past Lord unceremoniously as he made his way to door muttering profanities under his breath. His agents followed both in awe and the same affrontness that Calvin felt, giving Lois and Lord sharp looks as they left.

"Thanks," Lois said getting up and sitting up against the sink, rubbing the back of her head as the pain returned.

"Do you remember what happened?" Lord asked at once ignoring his thanks. He seemed almost business-like, losing the swagger that brought him into the room.

"I'm not sure... my heads foggy... I was here," Lois groaned trying to strain her mind to think about what happened, "... this guy came in... he...took Dawn..."

"Who?" Lord asked curiously and yet gently prodding Lois.

Lois froze. Her eyes widened with realisation.

"What?" Lord asked seeing the look on Lois' face.

"Oh my god, I know who it is," Lois cried as she remembered an article done by the Planet a few months ago, just before the Darksied's invasion. His face flashed in her mind along with the name; Toyman.

* * *

><p>Superman dropped down into the small village where he had found Zod, the place was wrecked and near destroyed, he felt a pang of guilt knowing that he was somewhat responsible for some of wreckage. He wanted to stay and help with the clean up along with the other Slayers, but he couldn't. He had to look at the bigger picture and Zod was just that. He had to find him. It was time's like these that he was glad that he had the Justice League, he could feel himself wanting to stretch himself to solve all the problems to zoom across the world and hunt for Zod as well as help with the clean up of any damage he has caused. But, he couldn't. That was why the League was formed to help stop threats that one of them couldn't stop alone.<p>

Superman walked toward the crowd he could see at the far side of the street. Chants of prayers and people awing with reverence as they surrounded whatever it was they were looking at. Whatever it was, Clark felt a strange foreboding feeling in the pit of his stomach.

"Superman!" Giles cried as he made his way through the crowd to get to Clark. "Where's Willow and Xander?"

"They're making the last repairs to the jet," Superman replied giving Giles a reassuring look to tell him that they are okay, "they'll be with us shortly. Now, what did you find here?"

"Y-yes, its... well its hard to explain," Giles stammered more so than usual fiddling with his glasses not sure whether to clean them as he usually did or whatever. His mind was befuddled. He suddenly, became seriously moving his hand away from his glasses, "maybe you should come with me?"

Giles led Superman forward through the crowd. Superman pushed past people politely wondering what it was that had caught these with such awe and reverence. A bright light shone through the crowd growing brighter as Superman got closer until finally he saw it.

A bright white light emitting from crack in ground. A strange energy emitting from it. Superman's eyes widened as he saw it. What in the world was it? He stepped forward to examine it. He gasped as he felt his body go limp. He fell to his knees his entire body feeling weak, not like when he was exposed to Kryptonite, this was different it was like all the energy was be sapped from inside him. The people around him began to chant at the sight of the strong man that was The Man of Steel weakened by the strange aberration.

"Are you okay?" Giles asked as he saw Clark fall to his knees helping him up.

"Yeah, keep everyone back," Clark breathed as he tried to catch his breath. "I'll call the League."

Giles nodded helping Clark away from the crack. He gave his orders to the other Slayers to keep the people away. They had been doing that prior to Clark coming but now it was imperative to do so or risk anyone else being hurt or worse. Clark straightened up as he got away from the crowd, the strange feeling leaving him and the energy returning to him. He held his hand out to signal Giles that he was fine. He took out his Justice League Communicator activating it.

"J'onn this is Superman," Superman said speaking clearly as he spoke to the Justice League Headquarters, named the Watch Tower in memory of Chloe. An orbital Satellite made by Wayne Enterprises from some of Chloe's files, obviously she had been aware that there may be a time when the world would face a world changing threat and would have to be ready. After Darksied, they thought the same thing.

"Superman, we the League has assembled and our on the hunt for Zod," J'onn replied over the communicator, "how are things your end?"

"Bad, we've found a strange energy coming from a crack in the ground," Superman said looking over the situation and making sure no one goes near it. He heard a ringing as his phone rung from inside his belt compartment showing Lois is calling him. He ignores it for a moment, "its emitting some strange energy. I think it maybe what brought Zod to Earth. We'll need someone to check the scene."

"I'll have Cyborg and Diana there as soon as possible," J'onn replied through the comlink as Superman tried to ignore the ringing of his phone that vibrated urgently in his belt compartment.

"Thanks, J'onn I'll be at the Watch Tower as soon as I can," Clark replied turning to comlink off and grabbing the phone from the compartment on his belt with exasperation. He really hopes this day doesn't get any worse. Between Zod and this strange crack last thing he needs is Lois on his back. "Yes Lois," he said as he answered the phone, "how are things your end?"

"Smallville, shut up for a minute!" Lois snapped hurriedly, yet it wasn't anger in her voice but panic. "Some thing's happened... something bad..."

"What is it?" Clark asked his attention peaked, "what's happened? Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," Lois replied pausing for a moment, "its Dawn, Clark. He took her. Toyman took her!"

Clark froze as he heard this as yet another crisis came to the forefront. Zod, the cracks, Toyman. He felt like the entire world was working against him. All he could think was the thing Buffy always used to say in times like this; it must be Tuesday.

* * *

><p><strong>Author Note: <strong>Okay back after the Christmas break! So thing's are piling! Next chapter: Its High Alert as the League and Slayers try to find Zod and Dawn and Lois is on the hunt to find Dawn and Toyman before it too late!


	7. The Hunt for Dawn

**Chapter Six**

**Hunt for Dawn**

The Justice League Watchtower hung in the balance of space orbiting the planet its occupants had sworn to protect. A long sleek satellite station, blue and gold chrome shielding across the technological wonderment a huge ring encircling the top of the Watchtower turning slowly as if surveying the entirety of space.

From outside it almost looks tranquil and safe, disguising the disarray and disorder occurring from within. The last hour had been high alert for the League with every available member being called in to answer the call. J'onn had made the call as soon as he heard the news from Superman, his blood chilling at the news of Zod's return only made worse by the further news of the strange crack in the Kahndaq desert. J'onn was sure this reminded him of something but he couldn't for the life of him remember what it was, his mind was preoccupied to even think on the subject as his thoughts went out to the Scoobies as they hurried about the Watchtower communicating with the other slayers as they began the hunt to find Dawn.

J'onn bowed his head, his heart breaking as he sensed their worry and anxiety as they tried desperately to find Dawn. His thought went back to his own daughter and like the Scoobies with Dawn, he longed to have her in his arms for just one more day. He stared at the monitor of the computer seeing his Martian reflection looking back at him, he had long ago returned to his true face after so many years of trying to blend into other cultures hoping that he would find the home he had long ago lost. He smiled solemnly as he looked at his friends and comrades busying themselves with the latest mission of the day. These past few months, he had felt... content, feeling he had found people he could honestly feel close to again.

These past few months, the League had grown as it expanded its membership upon being sanctioned by the government bringing in people like them who wanted to help like them. Firstly, was the Green Lantern, Hal Jordan a space cop with the power to create anything from his ring with only his will; J'onn had been familiar with the Green Lanterns and Guardians of Oa and had been surprised when he had heard that they had allowed a earthling to take the ring, he had known the Guardians to be prudish and arrogant over the so called barbarism of Earthlings, J'onn felt some pride in see a member of his adopted home become the first of he hoped many; though J'onn had some reservations on whether the Guardians would wish to have another as reckless as Hal.

Secondly had been, Carter Hall aka Hawkman, an ancient Egyptian Pharaoh reincarnated into the archaeologist Carter Hall. He was... spirited is the word J'onn would use and headstrong, but a great tactician having helped the League out during some tough scrapes. Although, his spiritedness put him at loggerheads with Oliver, who had opted to leave the League along with Black Canary to stick with more local crimes.

Also on the team now, was Dr Ray Palmer known as The Atom with the power to shrink to microscopic size. A brilliant scientist and one who had helped greatly in the construction of the Watchtower, he had been sent to help Mr Giles with analysing the strange crack. He along with Cyborg were there to scan and collect information with the last newest member Firestorm aka Ronnie Raymond, a structural engineer for STAR Labs working with Dr Martin Stein, when a nuclear explosion happened during one of Stein's experiments both men were fused together to create the 'Nuclear Man' Firestorm with the power to rearrange atomic structures and generate fusion energy from his hands. He had become a valuable ally to the League and both men no matter how strange their situation was (Stein was only present within Raymond's mind offering him advice and the source of his expertise; I know weird right). He along with Stein had offered to help Atom and Cyborg with their investigation along with Slayers Wiccans, whilst the Slayers keep the locals at bay.

They had gained a good relationship with the Slayers since the Battle of Metropolis and Willow in particular J'onn had grown close to. He sensed the grief and the loneliness with her, it screamed at him almost as loud as his own grief over his people. He had offered her only his friendship and someone to talk to and she the same; as well as the delicious treat that he must admit had become almost an obsession, the Oreo.

"We will find her," J'onn said placing a hand on Willow's shoulder as she continued to type furiously at the computer looking at every available way to find Dawn.

"Reading my mind?" Willow smiled weakly enjoying the fatherly way in which J'onn touched it. It was soothing and calming.

"No," J'onn replied calmly, "though, it is hard to ignore. You are not alone in this Willow." He held his hand up at the numerous consoles across the Watchtower all of which different teams were looking over their respective target. Xander was overlooking the search for Zod and Dawn.

"I know, but with all these people," Willow sighed looking around at the Leaguers running around doing their bit in the searches, "I often wonder, what use am I?"

* * *

><p>Xander was tense, more tense than he'd been before. He stood with his arms folded and staring intensely at the monitors in front of them. The weight of the world on his shoulders and the fate of someone he think the world of on top of it. Right now, they were looking over the search for Zod with Batman and Diana, which was showing no progress.<p>

"Staring at the screening isn't going to make this search quicker," Batman said in his usual gravelly voice as he looked over his shoulder mid typing.

"Sorry, I forgot the whole watched kettle thing when a space criminal crashed down leaving strange crack in the middle of the desert along with my best friends sister being kidnapped," Xander replied sarcastically, though a lot more harsher than usual. He didn't really like Batman, mainly due to him being a reminder of Angel. Tall, brooding and batty. He really does hate those guys, they always believe they know what they're doing.

"You have to remain focused," Batman replied harshly standing up as he stopped his work turning to face the Xander, "we understand how you feel, but you can't let your emotions get the best of you. We have three crisis's happening in one day, that's not just a coincidence. Zod, this strange crack and Dawn, someone means to distract us and right now they're succeeding..."

"And you wouldn't react this way if someone you cared for was in danger!" Xander snapped angrily at being lectured by Batman again. He had only met Batman the once and even he couldn't meet the Bat glare, but right now he didn't care. Dawn was in danger and he wasn't going to back down to this man.

"Enough!" Diana said calmly stepping forward, ever the diplomat, "this is not the way to solve anything. We all want to help Dawn, but letting your emotions cloud your judgement will not make this any easier," she looked at Xander who by now his anger was subsiding slightly, "both of you! Now," she turned to Batman, "I will take over from here. Perhaps its best if you dealt with something else," she added calmly yet tentatively to Batman glancing over at Xander who looked like he still had a lot of anger in him.

"Fine," Batman snapped turning on his heels and storming across the walkway to the elevator without another word. His long cloak sweeping across the glossy floor.

"He was right," Diana said as he left as she took over the monitor duty.

"I know," Xander replied his anger subsiding finally as he slumped over the console worn out with days work.

"No, I mean the fact that this isn't coincidence," Diana replied.

"What? You think someone's behind Zod and Toyman?" Xander scoffed in disbelief, "bit of stretch don't you think?"

"Its a worthy strategy, how else do you deplete your opponents strength? By making them fight in all different directions," Diana replied a matter of factly.

Xander looked crossly. This had happened before with Angel when he was Twilight. He had split them up and attacked from all different directions. In the end, they didn't even see the end coming. Not this time though.

"This is your first time taking the lead, is it not?" Diana asked knowingly breaking Xander's scowly face.

"How can you tell?" Xander asked moodily.

"This was not your fault," Diana replied turning to him and standing up, "a true leader understands loss and must be sure to not let it overwhelm them. People look to you for guidance. Some," she nodded down towards Willow who was talking to J'onn, "more than others."

Xander turned bowing his head in shame as he realised he'd neglected Will when she was feeling low. She had taken it hard that she couldn't save the team from the jet crash and he had been too preoccupied with what was going on to do anything. This wasn't like him, he would have been there making sure the troops were happy and were okay after a tough battle. Had he changed? He had been preoccupied since he'd taken over. He couldn't have changed that much, he'd been in charge with Buffy before all of this.

That was it, he thought, he could do all that because he had Buffy. She led the troops while he made sure to rally the troops. He had felt like he was on his own, its no wonder he's been trying to prove himself so much. He looks around at the League and the Slayers. He's not alone.

"I'm gonna check on the troops, let me know if you find anything," Xander said walking away towards the elevator.

"Of course," Diana smiled turning back to the monitor and continuing her search.

* * *

><p>It didn't take Clark long to get back to Washington, as soon as he got the call from Lois he wanted to rush back but with Zod and the crack he had to report to the League. He had made sure that the Scoobies had been taken to the League were they could continue the search while he went to check on Lois which was harder than he thought, it was harder getting in what with security being so tight; though with super speed, it made things easier.<p>

"Excuse me, I'm looking for Lois Lane?" Clark asked a Secret Serviceman, urgently as he rushed through the hallway. From the look of exasperation and the feeling of being put out, the man had obviously been in the firing line of Lois. He just grunted something and pointed to the Secret Service office. Clark walked in to find mayhem occurring. The typical army brat and dog reporter had every member of the Secret Service doing more work than they'd done in two terms as they looked over the security feed.

"I want a close up on Schotts movements!" Lois cried pointing at the sweating an jittery young serviceman who was looking over the security monitors. He did so quickly, not wanting to be shouted at again. Lois turned and pointed at another member of staff, "Call Strykers and I want to know when he was released, escaped and why it hasn't been reported!"

"Lois!" Clark called as he walked over to her. Lois turned and Clark could honestly see a flicker of shock and guilt on her face, "sorry I'm late, I got back as fast I could. What have we got?"

"Schott came into one of the most famous buildings in the world, holding the most powerful man in the world and ran out with a girl trapped in a dolls body," Lois replied quickly giving a sharp look at the Secret Serviceman, "no idea how he got in. Or past such a great security service."

"How could this of happened?" Clark asked angrily kicking himself, "I should have been here!" he slammed his fist on the wall, restraining himself so that he didn't put his fist through the wall making the action completely useless in subsiding his anger, "A hundred dignitaries and he is able to walk in and take her! How could this happen?"

"Smallville, calm down, this isn't helping," Lois said pulling him by the arm so that he looked her in the eye, "I feel just as responsible as you do, but this is no one's fault. We have to stay focused if we want to find Dawn."

"You're right," Clark replied taking a breath and nodding. He pushed his anger back, this wasn't going to help Dawn, "what can I do?"

"Look over the guest list," Lois said passing him a pile of papers with names, "if Schott got in the only way he could was if he was invited or helped himself to an invite. We find who he came in as we could find him."

Clark nodded turning away to do this. Lois doing the same as she got back to calling her troops. "She's a wonderful woman isn't she?" a voice interrupted Clark as he got read to speed through the pieces of paper. He looked up to see Maxwell Lord stood at the doorway, "she's practically made the White House her base of operations."

"Maxwell, what do you have for me?" Lois cried in her usual snappy manner when she heard his voice. "Something good, I hope?"

"I only ever bring good news," Lord replied smugly, "I have a contact at Stryers, seems our Mr Schott was released last week. Apparently, he had a friend help him with early parole."

"Early parole? He blew up a bridge?!" Clark cried incredulously at the mere notion that Toyman should be given parole.

"Yes, it does sound fishy," Lord replied knowingly, "but, Mr Schott did have friends with large pockets. Wouldn't be hard for them to get him out of prison, now would it?"

"Lex," Clark growled under his breath. He could feel his anger coming over him again and he knew he had to do something. He had to have a talk with Lex. He threw the guest list down in anger and stormed out of the office without saying a word. He could hear Lois chasing after him.

"Wait, Smallville!" Lois called before catching up to him grabbing his arm, "Clark stop!" She spun him around and made him face her, "this isn't going to help you storming off. We need to..."

"We need to find Dawn and if Lex knows were she is then I'm going to..." Clark replied angrily but was interrupted by Lois.

"Do what? Make him talk? He'll arrest you for harassment!" Lois interjected hotly trying to make him understand, "and its not like Lex Luthor would ever admit anything to the press. Look, we have to stay focused if we want to find Dawn."

"We wouldn't have to find Dawn if you hadn't let Schott take her!" Clark snapped his anger taking over him, it was like an outer body experience, he could see what was happening but couldn't stop it. Lois jumped at his sudden reaction, "I mean, Toyman stands right in front of you and you let him take her. You should have known it was him. You should have protected her!"

With that Clark stormed off walking away leaving Lois stood there taken aback. She could feel tears welling in her eyes. She wouldn't though. She'd be strong. She had had those thoughts running through her head all afternoon and the guilt gnawing at her insides. She felt so useless, she should have done more. She should have stopped Schott from getting to Dawn. But she didn't. She was useless.

"Kent taking some air," Lord asked when Lois returned to the security room. She nodded composing herself quickly so no one noticed.

"Right, everyone I want every picture you have on Schott," Lois said ignoring Lord as she walked over to grab the guest list. Lord followed her over.

"He blamed you didn't he?" Lord asked sympathetically and knowingly, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"He's angry," Lois said simply.

"And he blames you?" Lord nodded walking around to face her. "Do you blame yourself?"

"I don't have time to blame myself," Lois said as she looked over the guest list, "I just have to fix this mess..." she paused as she saw something. Her eyes beamed as she saw something, "I've got it!" she cried smugly grabbing her phone and dialling, "if Clark's comes back tell him to check out Marionette Ventures!"

She turned and ran off leaving Lord holding a page from the guest list. He looked down and read what she had seen 'Christopher Gauthier – Marionette Ventures'. "Well done, Miss Lane," Lord whispered under his breathe.

* * *

><p>Lex had had a long week, between the building of his solar tower and his other 'ventures' he was definitely outstretching himself. That was always his problem and in all honesty, his obsession. He always had to have it all and have his hands in every pie. His current venture, he saw as his greatest discovery and his greatest work. His solar tower was the future and would change the world, not just for him but for everyone.<p>

He didn't need a silly costume or clubhouse in space to do all of that, he just needed to do what he always did, rolled up his sleeves and made it happened. Its what humans did. He was doing it for them; for the humans of Earth, the ones without superpowers. Although, all of this was private and not what he used in PR.

That was where Lex had been coming back from, another press meeting on the construction and future this solar tower could have. Many different businessman and socialites were all there; the ones that mattered anyway. The others were probably in Washington hailing the Slayers as heroes. He knew what they were; monsters fighting other monsters. Let them have their day he says, soon he'll have the world back.

Lex stood at the mini-bar in his office pouring himself a brandy after a hard days work. He took a sip and breathed it all in. He always did enjoy the taste of a good brandy, he always felt like he was going to have a good day.

He turned to his desk, stopping as he saw a figure hovering outside his window. A blue and red clad figure; a god in a little red cape, who surveyed him with the same contempt he tried to mask from the people of Earth. But Lex saw right through him and right now, he could see exactly how Superman was feeling and what he was thinking.

Anger.

The anger of a god.

Just what Lex needed to perk him up for the day.

"We need to talk," Superman said dangerously, his eyes flashing red and his arms folded. His entire face was contorted in anger as he stared at Lex.

"Jenny, cancel all my appointments for this afternoon," Lex said as he pressed the intercom keeping his gaze pressed on Superman. He stood up straight taking another sip of his drink. "So, what do you want to talk about?" he asked Superman condescendingly.

* * *

><p><strong>Author Note: <strong>So, sorry for the long wait for the next chapter, its been a busy month. For Smallville fans you'll probably guessed that The Marionette Ventures was the 'Legion of Doom' type group Toyman set up in the last season of the show. Also, the name he gave Christopher Gauthier is the name of the actor who played him in the show.

So, things are tense and Dawn is still missing; but Lois has a clue? Can she save Dawn from Toyman? Is Lex the one who got him out of prison? And if not, who is the one behind all of this? Find out next time in: **The MARIONETTE ADVENTURES!**


	8. The Marionette Adventure

**Chapter Seven**

**The Marionette Adventure**

Kenny ran as fast as he could, he had felt like he had been watched for a few hours now; he always felt that way. He had felt that way for nearly three years, ever since that day he walked in on Dawn. The anger he felt, the betrayal he witnessed, all of it was too much for him and then he did it. He made the spell.

The problem is, if you place a spell on the sister of the worlds most famous and deadliest Slayer to walk the Earth, you best find a good place to run to. The good thing about being a thricewise however, is that you have three ways to hide or rather hide yourself; the first being transforming yourself into a human. Right now Kenny was a young student at Gotham U studying physics, ironic considering he can manipulate the laws of physics like all those who can do magic; though with some limitations.

Secondly, you switch your disguises and keep them your pursuers on their toes. Lastly, you keep protection spells active at all times so no one can track you. Thrice-wises always work in threes, it sort of their calling card. It makes them easier to track, luckily for Kenny he was an exception to the rule. Thrice-wises tended to be weaklings in the demonic community, but Kenny was quite adept at both rudementary and advanced magic, not anything all powerful but enough to get by and keep him hidden for over three years.

In the beginning all he felt was anger and hurt, hurt at what Dawn had done to him. All he could think about was how she could do that to her? How could she sleep with his roommate? His best friend? Did she even care for him? Was he not enough for her? All these questions and more ran through his head that night, as he sat in his dorm room setting up the incantation ignoring his roommate calling him trying to explain, ignoring Dawn's weeping as she too tried to explain things; all he could hear was the betrayal dripping from their mouths. He wanted Dawn to feel the pain he felt, to show Dawn what she truly was; a 'Giant' liar, the village ride and the toy to the played with.

That was Dawn.

All three sides of her hidden behind a mask of a sweet, insecure girl who lived in her sisters shadow. At least, that was what he thought at the time when he was consumed by his own anger and when he made that spell. After that, he ran. He disappeared, his anger replaced by fear. He knew who Dawn's family was, he knew they wouldn't take kindly with what he had done and he knew they'd come looking for him.

So he hid. For three years he hid, jumping from job to job and life to life hoping they never find him. He had hoped that like all things Thricewises, things happen in threes so he had hoped that after three years the spell would be over and Dawn would be returned to normal. But here he was, running away after nearly getting his life back on track. He had hoped that he could get back on track and hope the spell had run its course.

And then he came. Not the person he had expect, but the one that put the fear of god in him. He ran down an alleyway as the ran fell down hard against his skin, his clothes matted against his body as he continued to run through the streets of Gotham. He looked back hoping he had lost his pursuer only run into something hard in front of him. He fell to the ground hard, water spurting up at him. He looked up and gasped at the sight before him. He had seen demons, vampires and all manner of creatures of the night, but _he_ scared him more than one of them. He looked up at the man towering above him, a long black cloak draping body hiding whatever armour it was he was wearing. A dark scowl bared down on Kenny from the man underneath the cowl, a scowl that made Kenny's blood run cold as he looked at him through his horned cowl leaving only mouth and his eyes in view. All Kenny could see was the whites his eyes; that was what scared Kenny more than anything, those emotionless white eyes looking down at him and yet he could feel the anger burning from him. He stood motionless staring down at Kenny and Kenny had to wonder; what kind of man was he? What kind of man could fight demons and aliens and stand in the same firing line as Gods and superpowered beings? What was he?

"We need to talk," Batman said simply in a raspy, cold voice, low but with an echo. It sent chills down Kenny's spine, the shadows of the night covering most of his features giving the impression of taking to darkness. He moved forward a black hand coming towards Kenny and those white eyes bearing down on him.

He couldn't scream, he could do anything. His voice had left him, all he could do was watch as blackness engulfed him and then he was out.

* * *

><p>Superman stood in the middle of Lex's office glaring at the man he once called a friend as he did his usual innocent act, pouring himself a drink and keeping his emotions in check. He had done this from the moment Clark met him, from the moment he pulled him from the bridge. He wondered if he had ever known the real Lex, if the evil had always been there lying in the service but he had been too niave or too trusting to see it. He had wanted to see the best in Lex and for a time he did; the noble young man who made mistakes and wanted so badly to be loved and to liked. He saw that man as a friend. The man in front of him however; the ruthless, power-hungry and obsessed man he could only call him his enemy.<p>

"So, what crime am I being accused of today?" Lex asked as he took a sip of his brandy turning to Superman who continued to glare at him angrily. It made Lex smile to see him like this. "I can assure you I have hundreds of witnesses putting me at a press conference at the Metro Tower."

"Winslow Schott," Superman said simply, "how did you get him out of jail?"

Lex stopped mid-sip and looked surprised and shocked by Superman's accusations. "Now, that was unexpected," Lex replied sarcastically, a smile forming on his face as he put his drink down, "and why exactly would I have a known terrorist released from jail? How would I profit from that?"

"I don't know how your warped brain works, Luthor," Superman retorted angrily unfolding his arms and walking forward and scanning the room, "all I know is some paid to have Toyman out of prison and there is only one person insane enough to do that."

"And obviously, my name was on the top of the list," Lex nodded with a roll of his eyes, "I'm touched, of course. But your barking up the wrong tree. I have no affiliation with that man. The courts have already declared that."

"An army of lawyers and hush money will do that," Superman replied sardonically as he glared at Lex knowing full well how he operates.

"That's not very patriotic, what happened to truth and justice?" Lex asked in mock shock. "That's what you stand for isn't it? Or is that all a lie?"

Lex recoiled as Superman suddenly rocketed at him grabbing him by the throat and slamming him against the wall. Lex gasped in pain as he felt himself pressed hard against the wall and iron-like grip around his throat. His feet dangled as he was held up by Superman who glared at him angrily, his eyes red and fiery. "Where is Dawn?!"

"W-w-what?" Lex wheezed as he tried to break free from Superman's grip.

"Dawn Summers! Toyman has her! Where is he?!" Superman snarled demanding answers from Lex.

"I don't know!" Lex gasped as he grabbed Superman's hand trying to get him to stop. "P-please! I di... I di... I haven't... I can't..."

Superman held on to Lex's throat, all the suffering, all the pain, all the people killed due to his greed and ambition could all stop if he just flicked his finger. It could all stop. He could stop it.

No!

Superman released his grip letting Lex drop to the ground gasping or air. Superman looked down at Lex in shame. Shame of what he had almost done. Shame at what could have become. That isn't him. That's not what he stands for. Its not what the League stands for. He had to be better than that. He had to be better than Lex.

"Get out!" Lex croaked as he held his throat gasping for air as he felt his throat free again. He looked up at Superman with utter hatred and viciousness, "you call me a liar. But you stand there in that brightly coloured suit and are living the biggest lie of them all. You're no hero, Superman. You're not even the villain. You're just a fool who is going to doom us all."

Superman looked down at Lex shocked at his words and what he had said. He turned to the open window and the balcony of Lex's office. He stopped as he heard a beep in his ear as his JL Comlinks activates. "Superman," he answered.

"_Superman, its Batman,_" came the familiar harsh raspy voice, "_come to the Watchtower, we got something on Dawn._"

"I'll be right there," Superman said switching off the comlink. He turned to Lex who was glaring from the door, "you may not be involved in this. But, I'm still going to watch you. Very closely."

With that Superman shot into the air flying towards the Clocktower, the base Chloe used to found the League and were the League now uses as another base operations. Like the Slayers they had others; The Hall of Justice in Washington DC, a cave in Happy Harbour (courtesy of Batman), a Castle in Britain and one in France that Clark wasn't sure about. This one however, held a special place in his heart, it was the one place he could feel close to Chloe. She'd be proud of what she'd started.

He wish she was here now. She'd set him straight. She'd know exactly what to do.

* * *

><p>It didn't take Lois long to find where she was going, for a genius Toyman sure was an idiot. Marionette Ventures was a toy company that went out of business during the 70s, owned by a Christopher Gauthier it was sold to many different companies over the years. Right now, it had been owned by Lexcorp's toy division LexToys which was closed down last year by Lex due to low sales. Ridiculous really, Lex obviously got bored of it and exchanged one PR project for another.<p>

But guess who worked for LexToys? A certain Winslow Schott. Luckily for Lois, she was the one who reported on his last arrest along with his background. Also lucky for Lois, was that there was a branch of LexToys in the Washington Area. It didn't take her long to find the place. she recalled as she stood looking up at the rundown old factory that once was vibrant and full of colour. The familiar LexCorp logo now hanging from its sign. Lois walked to the wired gate, squeazing under its lock as she made her way across the car park of the factory.

She made her way quickly across the car park towards the side door. She had done this hundreds of times, sneaky into a toy factory after sneaking out of an army base; child's play. She opened the door, bypassing the security cameras and the security system as she made her way into the building.

Jackpot, Lois thought as she looked around the old factory. The place was pitch black apart from a few bits of light from the outside and a light from the offices upstairs. Someone was here. She could hear noises. Voices. A child-like chortle and giggle.

Toyman.

He was here. Lois walked slowly through the factory, picking up a stray pipe from the floor knowing she was going to need a weapon. She didn't know why she was doing this, or why she hadn't call Clark. She had never had to prove herself to anyone before now. But, this is Clark; Superman. She'd messed up letting Toyman get away and she had to make for it. She had been weak and she had to be strong. She had to save Dawn.

"Oooohh, you are going to look so pretty," Toyman's voice echoed as Lois made her way up the steps towards the office. "Yes, yes, yes, we're going to give you a nice dress. My friends will enjoy the tea party."

"Please... let me go," Dawn's weak voice followed, she was drugged or being held or was drowsy, Lois didn't know but all she knew was that Dawn was in trouble. She moved forward.

"But, my friends will be disappointed!" Toyman cried sadly his voice going into an upset mumble.

"P-please.. please, let me go... no, please," Dawn moaned groggily from above as Lois made her way to the doorway.

"Hey bozzo!" Lois cried as she entered the room throwing the pipe of her shoulder and swinging it hard at Toyman's head as turned in terror at seeing her. The clunk the pipe smacked his head knocking him hard to the ground, "no means no!" Lois added sharply.

"Lois!" Dawn cried in surprise but still pretty weak as she stood held up in toy stand in the middle of the office. Toys were all placed in the same position, a huge dolls house perched on the table and other assorted cars and vehicles all placed on the different shelves.

"I got you," Lois said hurriedly as she grabbed Dawn from the stand turning and running as fast as she could. She felt something catch her foot causing her to fall. Dawn flying out her hands. She turned and kicked at Toyman as he tried to stop her from escaping.

"No! She's my toy!" Toyman cried desperately as he clawed at Lois who kicked at him to get him off her, "she's mine!"

"Back off Jimmy Saville!" Lois snapped delivering a hard kick to the face at Toyman knocking his grip off of her. She scrambled to her feet scooping Dawn up from the ground and making chase. She could hear Toyman's screams as he called for his soldiers. She ran towards the door she had come in. A loud clanging march echoing through the factory coming towards them. The echoes got so loud she didn't know how many there were until it was too late.

A tall man sized mechanical toy grabbed her arm as she reached for the door pulling her towards it. It towered over her, its emotionless eyes baring down on her with a bright yellow light illuminating its square red and blue helmet like head that matched its large broad mid section. "The enemy has been located!" its mechanical voice echoed.

It echoed even more as Lois turned to see more of the Toy soldiers marching forward surrounding them. The same phrase repeating over and over again echoing through the factory. Toyman stepped forward through his soldiers as they created a barrier around Lois.

"You hab been a bab gil," Toyman mumbled as he tried to talk through a broken nose, blood dripping from it. He held a dotted handkerchief against his nose to stop the blood as he looked at Lois and Dawn dangerously, "you botb hab! You neeb to be pumished!"

* * *

><p>Xander had been surprised when the Justice League teleporter activated and Batman returned with Kenny in tow throwing him to the ground. The boy looked genuinely terrified as he sat in the middle of the Justice League Watchtower, no harm seemed to been dealt to him but Batman seemed to have scared the bejesus out of him.<p>

"Thank you," Xander had said weakly as Batman stood there with Kenny. It had been three years of searching and he had found him in just a few hours. Xander was fall of conflicting emotions; awe, surprise, shock, anger, jealousy, gratefulness. All of them pointed at the man who had given them the thing to save Dawn and through all of it all he could say were those two words; thank you.

"Just make sure you get the kid back," was Batman's reply.

Within ten minutes, Clark had returned and Kenny was now placed in the Founders room were they usually have their meetings, but now it was being used to interrogate the young thrice-wise, who seemed to be visibly terrified by the heroes presence. He sits in his demonic form, which according to Batman he had transformed into this form in order to fight Batman; which didn't work. His demonic form was an orange pimpled form almost molusk-like with three pulsating eyes and tentacles, it seemed almost strange to think this was the boy who Dawn had dated for two months. But then, she was a Summers girl after all.

"Look, please, I'm sorry for what I did to Dawn. I didn't mean for..." Kenny began before being interrupted by Faith.

"What? Turn him into giant? Turn him into half a horse? Or a little china doll?" Faith interrupted her hands on her hips looking crossly, "cos if not you should really check on your spell casting skills, yo."

"Okay... that I mean to do..." Kenny mumbled with embarrassment looking down at his shoes, "but I felt bad afterwards..."

"Oh well, at least you felt bad afterwards!" Xander cried dripping with sarcasm, "well that's fine then! You felt bad! You felt so bad you ran off and hid for three years while Dawn has been transformed into every magical creature that has ever walked the Earth."

"I'm a Thrice-Wise..." Kenny replied apologetically but speaking the truth, "it works in threes. But, the spell should have ended! If she's gone through all three transformations then the lesson of the spell should have been met!"

* * *

><p>At the old toy factory, Lois found herself tied to a chair by the Toyman as Dawn lay tied to a train track ready to get her punishment. Toyman tied her to the chair pulling hard on the ropes so that they pull at her skin. "You bin a bab gil," Toyman mumbled through his broken nose but the threat was laced in his voice. "Pahaps you would be bebber if you were one of ma toys!"<p>

Lois glared at him as he gave her usual annoying smirk; child-like and insane. He turned and walked out of the office walking down to the factory floor to get ready for Lois' transformation. Lois waited for a moment until she knew he was gone. She looked over at the office desk in the far corner to see her handbag. She had to get to her phone. She had to get help. She could hear Dawn's weakened moans from dollhouse. "Don't worry Dawn," Lois said as she used her weight to move the chair, shuffling it across the floor as she made her way to the desk. She could see herself getting closer and closer towards the bag until finally she fell to the ground as the grabbed the bag pulling it down with her falling with a thud.

She looked up at her fallen handbag to see her phone strewn across the floor. Using all of her strength she pushes herself across the floor towards the phone. She has one chance of this. She has to contact Clark.

* * *

><p>"Lesson?" Clark asked curiously, speaking for the first time since he got here. He had taken his time to watch and assess the situation, his thoughts going back to his confrontation with Lex. He had rushed off and assumed it was Lex, he had let his emotions get the best of him rather than taking time to get all the facts. He had thought he was past all this, but it seem he isn't. The problem with having three crisis' is that it does make you feel like your being stretched in three different places. That was what the League was for though, to make sure no one was over stretching their reach and always had help. With this situation, he could see Kenny did genuinely feel bad for what he had done, he was a good kid, he was just scared and in all honesty he couldn't blame him, who wouldn't be scared if you were in Buffy Summers' hit list.<p>

"Yeah, the thing with the spell is that she would have learnt... well how I was feeling," Kenny mumbled his face going red as he realised everyone was looking at him with angry looks. He looked at Superman and realized that he was the only who wasn't look at him sternly and carried on speaking to the Man of Steel hoping he'd give him a fair 'trial'. "I was angry. I was hurt. I did the spell, but Dawn had gone home for the holidays and I knew you'd all come after me... so I ran."

"Why didn't you reverse the spell?" Clark asked him calmly.

"I couldn't," Kenny cried, "I tried but the point of the spell was Dawn had to learn a lesson so... it wouldn't work unless."

"You little!" Faith growled lunging at Kenny who recoiled. Xander grabbed Faith holding her back as best as he could considering she had super strength.

"Kenny, listen to me," Willow said stepping forward and placing a hand on his shoulder, "I've done a lot of bad stuff with magic, stuff worse than this and have regretted them. But I know you love Dawn. She's in danger and we need your help to save her."

"I don't know what I can do? I don't know how to find her?" Kenny said jitterily, totally unnerved by this news, "the spell changes her, it makes it harder to track her!"

"We won't need it," Clark said urgently as everyone turned to him with his phone at her ear. He held up his phone putting it on speaker.

"_Clark... Toyman... got Dawn... Marrionette Ventures..." _Lois' voice echoed from her phone, quietly and hurried.

"I know where to find Dawn," Clark said putting the phone down, "LexCorps old Toy factory. Its obviously on the Washington area, I doubt Toyman would try and fly anywhere. He'd lie low for a bit."

"I wanna help," Kenny said in a tone that said this was a demand and wasn't to be argued with.

"Okay," Clark said quickly before anyone else could argue. He turned to Xander, "lets move."

* * *

><p>It wasn't long after that phone call that Toyman had returned to find Lois on the floor, he bag and phone on the floor and the phone obviously on ending a call. Lois saw something as she looked up at him, something she had never seen before. Before she had just seen the wide-eyed man child who had a few screws loose, now she was seeing the mad child who had found his toys broken in a million pieces. His eyes had bulged and went red as the veins nearly popped from his eye balls.<p>

"You bitch!" he spat viciously grabbing Lois by her shoulders and pulling her up on her feet which were still tied. She couldn't move, she could only hobble. He dragged her snarling at her wildly as he pulled her down the stairs until he had her thrown on the conveyor belt, "you just couldn't be good! You had to ruin everything! Well I'm going to make you into a good toy! A toy that does what its told!"

"You never had one date in high school, did you?" Lois smirked sardonically as she lay on the conveyor belt. With that Toyman delivered her a quick hard slap to the face. Lois turned her face to him giving her a shit eating grin, "that's the only time your gonna touch a woman."

Toyman glared at her viciously grabbing the lever for the conveyor belt and pulling at it. "It's play time!" he said darkly the conveyor belt coming to life and Lois slowly starts to move along with the conveyor belt towards whatever it was Toyman was going to do.

* * *

><p><strong>Author Note: <strong>Two chapters in one aren't you lucky. So Lois is in danger and its Clark and Kenny to the rescue. Next up: **Saving Dawn!**


	9. Saving Dawn

**Chapter Eight**

**Saving Dawn**

Lois struggled desperately trying to escape her binds as she lay helpless as the conveyor belt continued to move down towards whatever it was Toyman had remodeled these machines to do. A loud clang echoed as a crusher slammed down on the conveyor belt with each stop and each time Lois got a little bit closer. She growled as she tried frantically to get free of her restraints as Toyman looked on laughing maniacally.

"Yes! Yes! I get a new toy toy play with!" Toyman giggled insanely as he clapped his hand hopping up on his feet in a little dance, "yahoo!"

Lois felt the beads of sweat drip down her face as she saw herself getting closer. She felt the hot air blast up her legs as the crusher slammed down ever near to her. She moved her legs back trying to prolong the inevitable. _Please Clark, save me!_ Lois thought desperately as she tried desperately to get free seeing the crusher getting ever closer.

BOOM! Lois turned her head quickly at the sound of the loud explosion coming from the wall of the factory. She breathed a sigh of relief as she saw him coming towards her in his usual red and blue blur. Superman rocketed to the ground pulling Lois away from the machine as she was millimeters from the crusher, pressing the button quickly to stop the machine.

"Thanks," Lois breathed in relief as Superman held her in his arms looking down at her in a protective manner.

"My pleasure," Superman replied with a warm smile holding her tightly. He was lucky he got here so fast otherwise Toyman may have turned Lois into one of his toy soldiers. Superman turned and gave a deadly glare to Schott who stood cowering at seeing the Man of Steel in front of him. Superman placed Lois down but kept a protective arm around her waist, "its over Schott. Where's Dawn?"

"No, she's my toy!" Toyman cried desperately pulling a little remote from his pocket and flipping a switch, "mine!" within a second his Toy mechanical Transformer type soldiers march into the room splitting off in a regimented way surrounding them from all corners. Toy planes buzzed out of the office and flew over head circling overhead, their tiny cannons primed and ready to fire, "and I'm not letting you take her without a fight."

"I was hoping it wouldn't come to this," Superman said solemnly, but knowing it might be inevitable. With a loud whistle, he gave the signal for the Scoobies as they smash through the windows of the factory dropping to the floor brandishing axes and swords. Xander stands in front of at least five Slayers along with Willow and Faith.

"Hey Toyboy!" Xander howled as he got his sword ready for action, "play time's over!"

"You're surrounded, Schott," Superman declared as Schott looked around in terror at the Slayers and Superman standing there. "Give up."

"NEVER! ATTACK!" Toyman shrieked pointing his forces straight at Superman and the Slayers. Within a second, pandemonium has erupted in the factory as the Toy soldiers began firing laser blasts at the Slayers and Superman. Superman grabbed Lois and zoomed out of the line of fire as a dozen laser beams shot at them.

"Slayers! Move in for attack!" Xander ordered as he and the Slayers split up out of the way of fire. Xander dashed forward brandishing his sword leading the Slayers forward as the Toy soldiers came at them. Xander ducked as the soldier sent a blast of energy at him, he rolled across the ground thrusting his sword upwards as he got to his feet cutting the soldier straight through the middle of its torso. "Keep up the attack!" he called out to the others as they all went after their respective attackers.

Willow hung in the air dodging the fire from the toy planes, their cannons sending a terrifyingly large energy blast towards Willow. She swooped out of the way flinging her hands at her flying attackers sending green magical blasts at them blowing them up as they fly at her. She suddenly jumped as she two blasts of red shot behind her blowing up two planes taking Willow by surprise from behind.

"Thanks," Willow gasped as Superman appeared next to her hovering in mid-air. "Where's Lois?"

"Got her somewhere safe to lay low," Superman replied as he continued to blast at the planes. "Not that I believe she'll stay put," he added with some exasperation but also some admiration at Lois' bravery.

"Where's Toyman?" Willow asked as she looked around for Schott who had suddenly disappeared.

"He must have used the commotion to get Dawn," Superman said as he sent another blast of heat vision at one of the planes. "I'll take care of these. You go and get DAWWWWHHHHHHHHHHH!" Superman suddenly let out a ear-piercing scream of pain as a green blast shot him straight in the back sending him hurtling to the ground.

"SUPERMAN!" Willow cried as she saw Superman crash to the ground in pain, smoke sizzling of his back as he lay reeling on the floor in pain.

* * *

><p>Schott barged through the office door, frantically running about the office grabbing what he can as he tries to make his escape. He turns to the doll house grabbing Dawn, more roughly than he had before where he held her as something precious now he held her like she was a piece of filth.<p>

"THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!" Toyman spat viciously as he held Dawn an inch or two near his nose so much so that bits of phlegm flew at Dawn who coughed and spluttered at nearly being drowned by Toyman's spit. "YOU BROUGHT THEM HERE!"

"Say it don't spray it," Dawn spluttered as she wiped the large speck of phlegm off of her, whatever Toyman had drugged her with had worn off a little giving her some of her strength back. "You're best letting me go, before the reinforcements come."

"We won't be here when they do!" Toyman snarled grabbing his bag and turning to the door running out of the office and out for the the roof exit without anyone noticing as they continue with the attack on his soldiers. Except one.

Kenny looked on from below as he made his way into the factory. He was suppose to stay behind but he couldn't just sit and wait while Dawn was in danger. He got in just in time to see Toyman running off with Dawn in his hand. "Dawn!" Kenny cried in shock running on after them through the fighting.

* * *

><p>Superman groaned in pain placing a hand on his back as an excruciating pain tingled through his body. The familiar sickly feeling that could only be Kryptonite ran through his body as he tried to push himself up from the ground which was harder as he felt the same light headedness that came with Kryptonite poisoning. He had been hit by a Kryptonite blast before and it usually went away shortly afterwards since it wasn't as potent.<p>

"Die! Alien scum!" the metallic toy soldier chimed electronically as it approached Superman its weapon primed at him the familiar green glow buzzing as it readied to fire. Superman remained motionless unable to move as it looked at the soldier about to give the killing blow. The green glow got brighter and brighter until finally-

Boom! Superman recoiled, covering his face as a bright light hit the soldier causing it to explode with high-pitched electronic screech. Its wired innards and metallic shield exploded in all directions leaving only half its torso and legs both of which collapsed to the ground leaving its attacker to step over it holding one of Toyman's blaster cannons.

"Thanks," Superman said gratefully as Lois helped him up, his body still hurting as he got to his feet. Lois helped him up supporting his weight over his shoulder.

"No problem," Lois replied, "interesting life you guys lead."

"Where's Dawn?" Superman asked weakly.

"Toyman has her," Lois replied as she tried to support Superman's weight, "I saw some crazy squid guy running after them; friend or foe?"

"Both," Xander said as he made his way to them along with Faith. "What happened?"

"Its my fault," Willow said as she dropped down to the ground in the middle of the now empty battlefield. Toy parts and mechanical parts were strewn and sizzling with smoke all across the room, some blown up others cut down by the Slayers. "I should have been covering Superman."

"It wasn't your fault, Willow," Superman said weakly, his back still hurting from the blast the effects of the Kryptonite blast still hurting but wearing off slowly.

"No sign of the the man-child or D?" Faith asked looking around for any sign of them.

"They're heading towards the roof," Superman said weakly as he scanned the area with his x-ray vision though showing only weak and fuzzy pictures, but he could see both of them along with Kenny heading to the roof via the stairwell. "Kenny's with them."

"We'll go after them," Xander said urgently, "Lois, you get Superman out of here. Faith, you and the others head with me. Will..." he paused looking at her tentatively, "you go with Lois."

Willow nodded meekly bowing her head in shame walking over and helping Superman as she and Lois led him out of the factory. Xander and the other at the same time move on and make their way to the roof via the roof stairwell.

"It wasn't your fault," Superman said to her as they made their way out.

"Yes it was," Willow said definitely and sadly as she made her way out of the factory, feeling useless.

* * *

><p>Toyman barged through the roof door hurriedly running across the roof top towards a large toy gyro-copter sat in the middle of the roof. He threw Dawn unceremoniously into the cockpit of the gyro-copter looking extremely livid as he did.<p>

"Yes! We are going to take a ride! We're getting out of here and you will learn how to be a good toy!" Toyman snarled viciously as got himself ready to go in.

"LET HER GO!" Came a voice from behind him. Toyman turned around dangerously pulling out a water pistol from his pocket and aiming it at Kenny, who looked angrily at The Toyman.

"She is my toy! You can't have her!" Toyman barked.

"I said let her go!" Kenny snarled moving forward to attack Toyman who fired his pistol, a green goop shooting out of the end spurting at Kenny who recoils in horror as it drops to the ground, the goop burning at the ground and eating away at it.

"Stay back or the girl gets it!" Toyman shrieked insanely as he grabbed Dawn from the cockpit holding the gun to her head.

"Dawn!" Kenny cried as he saw Dawn in danger. He never wanted this.

"Kenny!" Dan cried as she saw him. Tears welled from her eyes as she saw the boy she had hurt so much, so much that he would turn her into a doll, standing there willing to save her. "I'm sorry," she whispered sadly.

Toyman let out a high-pitched scream as suddenly a blast of smoke engulfed Dawn as her toy-like visage disappeared. Her cloth legs stretched into two long smooth legs accompanied by two long arms, her toy-like face becoming puffy and pink as finally her human body returned. They both fell to the ground as the weight of the now human and naked Dawn was too much for him to hold collapsing on top of her. Dawn scurried off of the man as she realized her sudden nakedness. She held her arms against her to covering her dignity as she stared terrified at a now furious looking Toyman.

"No! My toy! You've ruined everything!" Toyman screamed furiously as he grabbed his water pistol ready to fire at Dawn. He shrieked in pain as suddenly a small dagger flew at his hand, impaling his hand causing him to drop his gun. He held his hand in pain, tears welling as he looked over at the roof door to see Faith stood with her arm outstretched having thrown the dagger and she's not alone as Xander stands with her along with five heavily armed Slayers.

"You need a time out, Toyboy," Faith quipped as she stood up straight looking smugly at a now captured Toyman who sat teary-eyed looking at the people now surrounding him.

"She was meant to be my new toy," he whimpered pathetically as he held his impaled hand looking up at Dawn as Kenny came over to her putting a protective tentacle around her.

* * *

><p><strong>Author Note: <strong>So that's the end of Toyman. Please leave a review and let me know what you think so far, next up: **The Next Move**


	10. The Next Move

**Chapter Nine**

**The Next Move**

It didn't take long for the police to arrive to take Toyman; though they were a little skeptical about the story. How do you charge someone for stealing a doll that is in fact a 22 year old girl? Superman however, explained the situation and assured them that Toyman had in fact kidnapped a human being and had threatened her with a deadly weapon. This gave the Washington PD enough credence to take Toyman away.

After that it was time to regroup and go over things; they had a lot to talk about. Xander glanced over at Willow throughout Toyman's arrest, what was happening to her? She'd been so different these past few months like she was seperate from everything, like she didn't belong. They had to talk, he had overlooked it for to long but today it nearly got people killed. Plus, he was her friend and he cared for her, so he needed to do this for her.

They returned to the Hall of Justice to regroup, Superman had gone to take Lois back to the Daily Planet in order for her to report on what had happened today before anyone else. Superman had explained that he as Clark Kent was still in Kahndaq with the Slayers and that they would bring him back in their jet.

"Okay this is awkward," Kenny said... awkwardly as he and Dawn made their way to have the talk. Right now they were in the trophy room, which housed some of the League's treasures and memorabilia. They both sat down on one of the seats; Kenny taking up most of the space what with his demonic form, "So here it goes; I'm sorry I cast a spell on you that turned you into a giant, a centaur and doll."

"If I hadn't said 'I'm sorry' what would of happened?" Dawn asked, no longer naked she was now wearing some clothes that Batman had left for her upon hearing she was safe. She wondered where they had come from, who they had belonged to. She had tried to ask but Clark had given her a look to tell her not to go into it. She wonder if it was Batman's daughter. She had seen a name written in the tag of the shirt she was putting on saying 'Barbara'. "Would I have just carried on turning into different things?"

"No, at least I don't think so," Kenny replied not really sure on that one, "Thrice-wises usually work in threes. But the spell was to make you feel bad about what happened, so if you hadn't of said sorry you probably would of either stayed as a doll or you would have kept transforming. I promise I would have called it off once it got to the horned fire snail," he joked weakly.

"I am sorry I slept with your roommate," Dawn blurted out realizing just how stupid that sounded in her head as it did out loud. She kicked herself as soon as she said it. A deafening silence came after that as they both looked away awkwardly unable to look at each other for a moment.

"I thought you liked me," Kenny said painfully not looking at her though Dawn could see the sadness as he returned to his human form.

"I did," Dawn said quickly and apologetically. "I do."

"Then why did you..." he stopped unable to say it, "why him?"

Dawn bowed her head trying to find the right words and the right way to say this. "I had, have very intense feelings for you," Dawn finally said, "sex would have been equally intense. I just wasn't ready for that. It was so overwhelming. Nick was... he was calming. He was... not you."

"So you was ready for him?" Kenny asked confused not really getting what she was saying.

"No, maybe, it was easy," Dawn spluttered unable to explain what she meant, "I was scared of being hurt. What if I wasn't good? What if you dumped me? You'd already had... sex. I wanted to... be good for you."

"You would have been," Kenny said cupping her face. Dawn closed her eyes as she allowed herself to enjoy his touch. He placed another hand on her face, a tentacled hand. Dawn opened her eyes to see Kenny revert back to his demonic form. "Dawn, I get it. I do. But, you know I wouldn't have pressured you. We could have been good."

"I know," Dawn whispered sadly bowing her head, "I'm sorry."

Kenny's tentacles left her face as he stood up and walked away his body slumped and his tentacles dragging across the floor. "So am I," Kenny said forlornly as he walked away forever. Dawn bowed her head sadly as she saw Kenny leave her.

And yet she felt good. Almost like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

* * *

><p>Xander and Willow stood in the lounge room of the Hall of Justice. The lounge was cut off from the rest of the building with the rest being more open to the public this was more the Private quarters for the League. They wouldn't be interrupted here. They had a lot to talk about. Xander looked at Willow with concern as she sat in her chair meekly almost like she was all those years ago in High School; meek and with no confidence. She looked like she was in the Principal's Office.<p>

"So," Xander began awkwardly as he leaned against one of the chairs. They had asked to be alone sending Faith to one of the workout rooms. She didn't mind too much; give her a chance to workout the girls, "how are you doing?"

"Not good," Willow said meekly with a weak smile as she looked at her hands as if trying to understand how they work. "I don't feel like I... like I belong here anymore."

"Will, we've all taken Buffy's death hard," Xander began but was suddenly interrupted by Willow.

"This isn't about Buffy," Willow interjected shaking her head and holding her hand against her head. "I've been feeling like this for a while."

"What do you mean?" Xander asked seriously standing up straight and looking at her closely. This was serious. Last time she was acting weirdly it led to Dark Willow. He couldn't let that happen again. "Willow?" he said forcefully as Xander remained quiet. "Will! Talk to me?!"

"I can't do it anymore," Willow said quietly. Tears dripped down her face and dropped to the ground she looked down at the ground tearfully, "I can't feel it anymore."

"Can't feel what?" Xander asked cautiously.

"Magic," Willow said softly looking up and wiping the tears from her eyes, "I can't feel it. Its like I'm disconnected from it. Like I'm on a different radio wave. Ever since Buffy... that's not the reason," she shook her head as Xander went to interrupt, "its like ever since the battle, Something has happened with the Earth like its out of sync. Like the magic is being stretched and its hard for me to get at it."

Xander bent down so that he was eye level with Willow taking her hand. "Why didn't you say anything?" he asked in exasperation and concern that she would keep this a secret.

"It was happening so slowly that I almost didn't notice," Willow said looking at Xander closely as she tried to explain what had happening lately, "little by little my magic became hazy. I thought I got fight it, I thought it was just due to confidence... but its not. Something is happening to magic," she took a deep breath as though she was about say something she had decided a long time ago but only now was ready to say it, "And I have to fix it."

"What do you mean?" Xander asked seriously seeing this going somewhere and somewhere he is not going to like it.

"I have to leave," Willow replied nervously but with a sense of purpose. She knew this was the right thing to do and was what she had to do. But, she knew how Xander was going to react and it wasn't going to be pretty.

"Leave?! Where?!" Xander cried standing up suddenly unable to believe what he has just heard.

"I don't know," Willow said trying to explain it as best she could, "but I know this is the right thing to do."

"Will, you're not making sense," Xander cried incredulously, "I mean, why not stay here and we can find out what's going on together."

"It wouldn't do any good," Willow said shaking her head dismissing what Xander was saying, "I have to go Xander."

"But... why?! I mean, the League could help us," Xander said holding out his arm towards the room to show Willow exactly where they are. "we have other witches that can help you!"

"Xander!" Willow said forcefully, more forcefully than she had in the past few days. She grabbed his hand moving them down to her chest and held them, "I have to go. This is something I have to do. The League has enough on its plate at the minute and our witches are... they haven't lived long enough."

"Will, I know they're inexperienced but..."

"No. Xander," Willow interrupted him, "the people I need to see our beyond you and me. And where I'm going... you can't come with me."

Xander looked at her closely. He could see there no arguing with her. In one moment, Willow had shown how much she had changed from the girl he had known. They both had. Ever since they had been kids they had been together now, they had to go at it alone.

"You be careful out there,"Xander said softly as he pulled her into a hug.

"You too, soldier," Willow joked weakly as she felt her eyes well with tears knowing this may be the last time she sees Xander in she doesn't know how long.

"When are you leaving?" Xander asked.

"Tomorrow," Willow replied wiping the tears away as they broke from the hug, "make sure Dawn's okay and then I'll be off."

They never said a word. They didn't have to and they didn't need to. They'd leave their goodbyes till tomorrow. For now, they make sure everything is okay for today.

* * *

><p>"Dawn?" Clark called from the doorway of the trophy room upon his return to the Hall. He had just returned from dropping Lois off at the Planet. Right now she was probably regaling Perry with what had happened today while Perry raged as to where Clark Kent was; he'll have to come up with story or else face Perry's wrath. Or worse another Elvis story. He stepped into the trophy room to find Dawn standing there looking over some of the League's memorabilia, "you okay?"<p>

"Great," Dawn said dully as she looked at a Parademon's spear. "Just taking a look around the place."

"Yeah break ups can be rough," Clark replied knowingly standing next to her.

"It wasn't a break up," Dawn shrugged dully turning to Clark, "I mean... it kind of was... but, we broke a while ago this was just... putting things to bed."

"I'm guessing it went well," Clark said placing a hand on her shoulder sympathetically.

"As well as it could," Dawn shrugged, she took a deep breathe as though letting the weight slide off of her, "no point dwelling on it now."

"Yeah," Clark nodded softly, "you've got your life back now. The World's your oyster now."

"Yeah," Dawn said brightly a smile beaming on her face. She couldn't remember the last time she had smiled, "I could go back to college. I could be the one out of me and Buffy to finish college."

Clark chuckled at that . "Yes, you could," Clark chuckled and then looked down sadly as he thought of Buffy. It was something he hadn't done in a good while and he felt some guilt for that. "She'd be proud of you, you know. They both would. Your mom and Buffy."

Dawn smiled at that with a look of pride and sadness as she thought of the two most important people in her life. She hoped they were looking down on her now; happy and content. They both can watch her now as she walks out into a new Dawn. But it wasn't just a new dawn for her, but for Clark as well. "Yes, I know," Dawn nodded placing a hand on his shoulder, "and Buffy would also want you to move on as well."

"I know," Clark nodded solemnly as he thought of Buffy.

"So, what are you doing here? Go fly to Metropolis and ask Lois out already," Dawn cried beaming brightly nearly causing Clark jump out of his skin.

"W-what? M-me and Lois?" Clark gulped in surprise. How did she know?

"Come on, its totally obvious," Dawn sighed in exasperation, "and she likes you too. So why not go for it?"

"No its..." Clark paused as he was about to dismiss Dawn only just realizing what she had just said, "wait. She likes me?"

"Duh! Man you really are from another planet," Dawn giggled at Clark's dumbfounded face. "Of course she likes you. What do you think we were talking about when Toyman attacked us? You!"

"Wait, you're okay with this?" Clark spluttered unable to believe what was happening.

"Yes!" Dawn groaned loudly in exasperation, "now go before I Kryptonite your ass."

"Right," Clark nodded dumbfounded and a little taken aback. In a gust of wind he had disappeared in a streak only to come back a second later, "so she likes me?"

"CLARK!" Dawn snarled warningly.

"Okay, I'm gone!" Clark smirked and with yet another gust of wind he was gone.

"Go get her, Smallville," Dawn smiled shaking her head turning and looking at the trophy. Where do we go from here?

* * *

><p>Lois stormed out of Perry's Office after getting a grilling from her Editor-in-Chief about today's events. Lois had had to explain what had happened; the Slayers conference at the White House, the Slayers going off to deal with a situation in Kahndaq (a so-called demon), Toyman kidnapping Dawn and Superman and the Slayers capturing. Perry like most people looked almost dumbfounded by what he was hearing. But, Lois had enough evidence mainly pictures of Dawn as a giant and centaur to back it up plus she had quotes from Superman, Xander and Washington PD.<p>

The thing that really was making Perry so mad was the fact that Clark was nowhere to be found and the demon in Kahndaq was what was going to get a front page, whereas Lois knew that she'd be pushed to the third page; I mean who would take the Planet seriously if they reported a Toy-napping on the front page. Lois looked over at Clark's desk to find it empty. Where was he? _Buzz buzz!_ Lois pulled out her phone as she felt her phone vibrating in her pocket.

_CLARK: Meet me on the roof._

Lois looked at the text curiously; what was going on? "Hey Miss Lane, where are you going?" Jimmy called over as she strode straight toward the elevator, pressing the button quickly and allowing the golden doors to close in front of her.

"Fresh air, Jim," Lois said quickly as the doors closed behind her. It didn't take long for her to reach the roof. She opened the door of the roof to find Clark stood there looking out at the horizon. He turned upon hearing her come.

"Hey," he said nervously almost like he was when he first came to Metropolis.

"Hey," Lois replied feeling just as nervous. The last time they had seen each other things had gotten a little heated, "Perry's on the warpath looking for you. You might wanna give him what you got."

"Yeah," Clark said rubbing the back on his head nervously, "I just got in. S-Superman dropped me off after I went to see how Dawn was doing at the Hall of Justice."

"She okay?" Lois asked knowing that Dawn was but, she needed to keep the awkward tension between them turning into an awkward silence.

"Yeah," Clark replied with shrug. "Back to her normal self. If you can call that a good thing," he added thinking of her giving him his marching orders for what he was about to do.

"Yeah, I get that," Lois smirked remembering her own Dawn interrogation before Toyman took her. She felt a pang of guilt at that. She opened her mouth to speak but Clark beat her to it.

"I'm sorry," Clark said abruptly taking Lois by surprise, "for the yelling at you. It wasn't your fault Dawn got taken. It was no one's fault. I was just..."

"Mad," Lois interrupted knowingly.

"Scared," Clark corrected surprising Lois again. "I... when Dawn went missing. I felt useless, like there was nothing I could do. Like I was being pulled in all different directions and didn't know which way to go."

"I get that," Lois nodded with understanding.

"But, you found her," Clark said with apologetically, "you kept your head and saved her. Your a better person than I, Lois."

Lois looked on stunned at what he had just said, but mixed with the pride of him saying that all she could think was _idiot_. "You're an idiot," Lois snapped briskly walking over to him and giving him a punch to the shoulder.

"Oh what was that for?" Clark pretended as he pulled back his shoulder so as not to break Lois' knuckles.

"For being an idiot," Lois said with exasperation, "Clark, I was scared too. Scared for Dawn's sake. Scared for your sake. But also that I'd let you down. We all feel useless from time to time, but you gotta sack up and do what you gotta do. You did what you could, you alerted the Slayers to where I was. If you hadn't of done that me an Dawn would have been playing some deranged tea party by now. So come on, sack up."

Clark looked at her both shocked and in awe. He couldn't believe her strength and stubbornness, it was what kept him on his toes and yet her brutal honesty was the thing that kept him moving forward. He couldn't help but smile. "Thanks," Clark said finally.

"It's okay," Lois said softly turning towards the door and walking back into the building, "now come on, before Perry starts smoking again."

"I am sorry though," Clark called over staying in one place. His voice shakey as he walked slowly behind her looking at her closely.

"Its fine," Lois replied at the door as she turned to him with an exasperated smile.

"Well I would like to make it up to you," Clark said quickly taking a deep breath as he did. Here it goes, "so, how about dinner sometime?"

Lois looked at him shocked, her eyes were wide and she felt frozen to the spot as Clark looked at her longingly. Did he say what she thought he just said? He did she realized feeling like her body was coming back to her. She felt her a smile creep across her face as she saw Clark standing there waiting for an answer. "Are you asking me out on a date?" Lois asked curiously.

"Well not a date," Clark said quickly and nervously not wanting to screw it up but seeing Lois smile fade slightly from her face adds quickly, "but just something... like a date. Maybe tonight?"

"As sweet as that notion is, Smallville," Lois chuckled holding onto the handle of the door for support as her legs were turning to jelly by the conversation, "this is Metropolis and its Saturday night. We ain't getting in anywhere without a reservation."

"Well, the Monster Truck rally is in two weeks," Clark gulped quickly as he tried to make a save. Man, he hated monster trucks, "how about I make it up to you with that?"

"You're on Smallville," Lois smiled coolly turning and walking down the steps, "you should hurry though. I don't think you'll have the money for tickets if Perry fires you!"

"No problem, Miss Lane," Clark replied under his breathe as he walked on after her unable to wipe the smile off his face.

* * *

><p>A gust of wind blew though the air as Zod finally made his stop in the Himalayas. He had been running for hours keeping under the radar of Kal-El, who no doubt would be following him. Since then he had watching and observing this strange world he had found himself in, it was not unlike Krypton except harsh and dirty and infected with stupidity. These people had no idea how precious there planet was and yet they waste it on war. They split themselves up into regions and make more war with each other other one puny piece of land. At least when he fought the council, it was for good of an entire planet not just one bit of it.<p>

And where did that get him? Here. On Earth. Kal-El was here too, the last of their people. He was a mockery. It was him who had brought about their destruction. Him and his fool of a father, Jor-El. It was that adoration that had caused the planet Krypton to be engulfed in the White Lights. He had brought a curse upon them. How could they do this? Destroy everything they had fought for? Everything they had built?

All for this natural born whelp.

It made Zod sick just thinking about it. He felt the anger welling up in him, that hot vengeful anger that needed quenching. "He destroyed my world," Zod hissed quietly to himself, "so I shall do the same with his."

"You're a bit too late with that one," a smug voice appeared from behind him. Zod spun around looking at a brown haired man in a black suit walking unsteadily up the mountain a few feet away from Zod.

"Leave human or face my wrath," Zod ordered quietly but with the veil of threat laced in his voice.

"What you don't want to get your final vengeance on Superman?" The man said with mock incredulousness. "And here was me coming to help you."

"I do not need your help," Zod snarled warningly ready to pounce on this human.

The man chuckled pulling out a small little globe and throwing it in the air. It exploded into pieces shooting a holographic picture of the universe around him and Zod. Zod recoiled thinking he is under attack. "What is this?" he asked wondering if he had been trapped but seeing the pictures he realized he wasn't.

"Map of the universe," the man replied with shrug, "see those," he pointed at the white lines dotted all across the map, "recognize them?"

"The White Lights," Zod gasped at seeing them knowing full well what they are.

"Yep. All across the universe," He replied, "taking world after world until soon there won't be anything left. Destroy the world yes, but that won't get rid of the real problem."

"What will?" Zod snarled demanding answers.

"We have to kill Superman," the man said darkly as he looked at Zod with a ruthless eye and deadly malice.

Zod looked at the man curiously. "Who are you?" he asked.

"Maxwell Lord," Maxwell greeted him, "and we are going to make history."

* * *

><p><strong>Author Note: <strong>Looks like Clark has his plate full... I mean a date with Lois that's gonna be hard core. But now, Zod is still out there. The mysterious white lights are spreading across the universe. What are they? Stay tuned. Next: **Superman's Girlfriend Lois Lane**.


	11. It's a Mad, Mad World

**Chapter Ten**

**It's a Mad, Mad World**

The past week had been choppy at best, a mixture of emergencies and calming down after the Toyman affair. The League was still on high alert due to Zod being on the loose, Clark had added extra security to the Fortress so that Zod couldn't gain access to the Fortress' technology, but with every available member helping with the hunt for the Kryptonian General they had found nothing and that made Zod even more dangerous. It meant he was planning something. He'd retreated after their fight, to regroup and to plan.

It was for that reason that Clark had spent most of the week living nearly four lives; working at the Planet, keeping an eye on Dawn, his patrol duties and also helping with the league. For any other man it would make him keel over, but Clark wasn't a normal man and was managing, but even so he felt the tiredness creeping in. Despite flying between his different lives there was one thing that connected them all; the strange crack in Kahndaq.

It hadn't taken long for every news station to find out about the events of Kahndaq. The league had tried to keep it quiet, but in the space of a day a religious following had surrounded the small village, bring followers and fanatics alike to see the 'miracle'. Clark was sympathetic to their beliefs, he'd grown up believing in God and despite Jor-El's training he continued to believe in a high power out there, but even he could see the danger of what it posed, it had been twice in the past week he had had to stop someone from jumping in and finding salvation. With that the League had doubled their guard around the area with the reluctant help of the Kahndaq government (reluctant because they didn't like foreigners encroaching on their matters), however it didn't stop them coming and it didn't stop the whole world knowing.

What was this crack?

What did it mean?

Was it a sign from god?

A prophecy of the End of the World?

Had anyone checked the Mayan Calendar?!

These were all the questions being asked by the press and people alike, all of them searching for answers all of which neither the League or the governments could answer. Mainly because neither had the answers. The League was looking for every scientific explanation it could find with Ray, Ronnie/Stein and Victor all looking for answers or anyway of stopping the crack. Up to now it had come to nothing.

"Don't you have a date?" a voice echoed from behind Clark as he oversaw everything. The world was in a panic he was just thankful they were able to keep Zod under wraps; otherwise it could have gotten worse. Clark turned to see Xander stood there, having just come in from Slayer HQ he had spent a lot of time up here with League providing whatever help he can. Giles had been doing the same looking over every text he could find to figure out what was going on and whether this was a foretold in the texts. Up to now, no it hadn't.

"Lois is in Kahndaq covering the cracks," Clark replied with a look of disapproval not liking the fact that Lois was so close to something so dangerous. She had made it her duty and a rather bad habit of putting herself in danger to get the scoop and get to the truth of everything; it was one of the few things that made him admire her and also makes him scared for her. She didn't have any superpowers, all she had was herself. He didn't think any less of her because of this, but he couldn't help but feel protective. "She's coming in later tonight, so we've doing it tomorrow."

"Right," Xander said sensing something as he moved forward to check the monitors, "scary isn't it?"

"We've faced worse," Clark sighed realizing that this was their lot in life. "Just wish the light at the end of the tunnel was easier to see."

"I was talking more about moving on, but yeah we'll find a way we always do," Xander said rubbing the back of his head as looked up at the monitors as the whole world went crazy. Every talk show, news show and day time television was covering the cracks; even Letterman came back to cover them. Jack Ryder was flying back and forth to Kahndaq and GCN to report on it along with Vicki Vale, his co-anchor; he didn't want her getting full control of 'his' show after all. Cat Grant had got a spot on the Daily Show for WGBS discussing how the stars of Hollywood were dealing with the news of cracks, interviewing fashion designers and movie stars on their thoughts on them; she and Harmony were battling it out for Daytime Television Queen. "They're all look for answers," Xander observed.

"And they're looking at us to provide them," Clark replied.

"You look beat, how long you been on duty?" Xander asked as he noticed the slightly small bags under Clark's eyes, which is saying something considering Clark could go days without sleep. The strain really is showing.

"About twelve hours," Clark said with a yawn as he finally let the strain of the past few days get to him at last, "I've been leading the hunt for Zod, but there's been no luck. I've had the Fortress on red alert trying to track but nothing, plus the crack has everyone going nuts."

"Well, they're not leaving the asylum anytime soon so go home," Xander said moving forward towards the monitors and taking up the position, "I'll take over here, you go get some sleep. You got a big date tomorrow and you need to look sharp."

"You're sending Dawn to give me wardrobe advice aren't you?" Clark replied knowingly and amusement, Dawn really took after Buffy on the shopping front which could mean a lot of heavy bags and very fast talking that even Clark couldn't understand half the time. "That should be fun," Clark replied as Xander gave him a smug smile as he looked over the monitors.

"Oh I'm counting on it, CK," Xander chimed as he radioed himself in to the other leaguers to let them know he was taking over monitor duty. "Now, go have a taco on me."

Clark smiled appreciatively as he stood up patting Xander gently on the shoulder as he walked away. He had always had this problem of holding the world on his shoulders and feeling like he had to do it all himself, but that was the point of the league; to shoulder the burden of the world together. He just needed a reminder every now and again. It's something he has come to accept about life that he can't solve everything but at the same time it hasn't stopped him trying.

* * *

><p>The world was going mad, Lois thought as she looked down at the world below from her flight back to America. The past week the whole world had gone nuts since the conference in Washington with every news network and newspaper covering the strange cracks that had appeared in Kahndaq. Lois had hoped that things would have calmed down after the whole conference and Dawn kidnapping, mainly due to their non-date with Clark, but as with their lot in life things had never been easy.<p>

So instead of seeing a monster truck rally, Lois had been sat in a press conference in the Kahndaq embassy building were most of the press people had been kept for the past week. The local government had not really been rather accommodating to the press, but then a dictatorial state wouldn't really be accommodating to the foreign press. Lois had kept her nose to the ground and got some information back to Perry. After nearly a week, the government officials had agreed to give a few words and by that they meant a good few words Lois found out as she sat in the conference room. Turns out that the government was still undergoing investigations but was working closely with the Justice League to see the cause and origin of this strange anomaly, though Lois could tell that this was done reluctantly from some of her sources and the general feeling of the government was that this was Superman's fault. That was the deal the government had made with the League; they can come in to Kahndaq but not Superman. Perry had had a field day with that scoop.

Meanwhile, Clark was 'supposedly', and Lois knew exactly what he was doing almost half of the time, was hanging about in Washington getting the thoughts on American people. As she walked through Metropolis Airport and was welcomed back to the big apricot she could see just how nuts the world had become in just one week. Newspapers like the Inquisitor and the Star had headlines like 'Hole in the World!' 'Is this the End?!"

"Beware the coming of the end is near!" a ranter cried out through a microphone as he stood at the corner of the street on what looked like a vegetable box and continued to rant out and give warnings to the people passing-by ignoring his ramblings, "God's wrath has finally come upon us and come to heal a land too long ignored by its neighbors and crumbling under corruption and decadence..."

His voice was muffled as he wasn't alone Lois noticed as she looked over to see a long line of people doing the same, all of them trying to get their point across and give warnings to the general populace. Their voices echoed across the street as Lois walked to the taxi rank to hail a cab, which was difficult as the weight of her bags was weighing her down.

"The world is doomed! For too long we've taken Mother Earth for granted and now she's fighting back!"

"We shall be reborn!"

"The aliens have contaminated the Earth! Down with the False God!"

Great, Lois thought as a cab flew past her, I come back and am surrounded by the raving loonys and can't even get a cab.

"Need a hand?" a familiar voice appeared from behind her causing her to smile, which she hid as she turned to find Clark stood there smiling down at her.

"I should of known your homespun breeding would mean you'd come pick me up, Smallville," Lois replied as she tossed one of her bags into Clark's arms turning and with two fingers giving a high-pitched whistle that both hailed down a cab and nearly made Clark's ears pop.

"So how was your trip?" Clark asked as he got inside the cab after putting Lois' cases in the boot of the cab.

"Wonderful," Lois grumbled sarcastically, "if you call sitting in an embassy for a week, were you can't go anywhere and are given nothing to go on."

"Kahndaq's panicking and to be fair so is every other country," Clark replied knowingly having got this information from both his Superman and Clark Kent persona, having both covered the government's talks on the situation and also been involved in some of them through this past week. "Some of Kahndaq's neighbors are _concerned_ that they're experimenting something supernatural or extraterrestrial. The government here is even concerned about it, which is why they've fought for the Justice League get in."

"Inside scoop?" Lois asked knowingly with a smile.

"Y-yes I may have used my relationship with Xander to get some Intel," Clark stuttered as he lowered his voice wanting to keep Clark Kent and the Slayers relationship quiet.

"Right," Lois nodded inwardly smiling as Clark tried to act sneaky as he kept his identity secret. She had long gotten past the feeling being treated like an idiot, realizing that Clark wasn't doing that entirely and did have great respect for her, she'd seen the 'Lois rules' he kept in his draw; but that didn't mean that she couldn't have some fun with him in the mean time. "So, did Perry ask you to come pick me up?"

"Yep," Clark replied matter-a-factly, "he wants to see you and me. He's been irate all week over this story, 'this is the biggest scoop and I want the Planet to be leading the charge', that's all poor Jim has heard all week. Poor kid thought he could go with you to Kahndaq."

"He'd have been bored stiff, I know I was," Lois huffed as she fell back into her chair. She looked out of the window as she saw more ranters dotted about giving prophecies of doom. "There worlds gone nuts. More so than after Darksied."

"I know," Clark said solemnly as he watched the panick brewing in the streets, "things are really picking up. The Inquisitor and the Star have really been pushing the panic and the Harmony show hasn't really been doing the world any favors."

"Yeah I caught some of it on the plane," Lois replied with disgust at seeing the insufferable airhead playing up the vampire thing for the cameras giving off the notion that she can sense or even prophecy doom. "Never thought I'd say this, I much prefer Cat Grant's show."

"That is surprising," Clark chuckled knowing full well Lois' distain for Cat Grant and the mutual distain her rival felt for her.

"At this rate Smallville, nothing can surprise me," Lois replied as she got ready for whatever the day had ahead for them.

* * *

><p>Xander stood looking at the monitors and craziness of the world as everyone clambered for answers or even profit from the cracks. He had always been a restless person, being leader had kind of calmed him down but even so he liked to move about and liked a little bit of excitement, sitting around wasn't really his style. He blamed Buffy for that.<p>

And then, it happened a loud whirring sound echoed through the watchtower knocking him out of his train of thought as he stood up alert switching over from the Cat Grant show, which he had been thoroughly immersed in and not because Cat Grant almost sparkled on the screen, he was very interested in keeping with the day to day issues. He turned to the monitors and the alarms went off; where they under attack? How could someone get into the WatchTower?! He looked around for a signature.

A teleporter, he thought as a signature pinged to life on the screen, but where? He turned around as he heard a bang and gust of wind blew him against the console, his head cracking against the monitors as he fell to the ground. He groaned in pain as he looked up at the figure before him, surrounded in a bright blue light encircling behind her.

"Wow," Xander gasped as he looked up at the woman before him, long flowing curled hair reaching to her lower back cascading down a long golden cape that looked almost see through in its material, her body was covered barely by green bathing suit that showed off her long strong legs that that were covered mostly by golden knee boots, which was armored. The same being said about the rest of her clothes, gold shoulder pads sat connected to a gold collar around her neck, these matched the arm bands and wrist bands all of which gave her the look of a warrior and yet the gold head band with jewels gave her a regal look. It was that look that gave a feeling of awe and one that Xander was feeling very clearly as she stared down at him curiously and yet fiercely at the same time.

"Rise before a Queen human, I am looking for my future mate," she snapped haughtily as though giving him a command.

"I'm right here!" Xander gaped jumping up, a little too quickly so as to make him light headed, waving his hand up as if he were in school and wanting to picked first for gym. "And _whom_ am I addressing, oh your regalness?"

"No, human, I am looking for my equal, my champion, my future king," the woman cried, her voice loud and commanding as though ever word she spoke was of importance, "my name is Maxima of Almerac, its rightful Queen and Champion and I am looking for the one you call Superman; where is Kal-El? Future king of Almerac!"

"Oh come on!" Xander groaned as he felt like he was back in High School and being picked last in gym. Next, beautiful half-naked alien queen that teleports in, he is so... oh forget it, Xander thought with exasperation, they'll probably still be there for Clark.


	12. Maxima

**Chapter Eleven**

**Maxima**

The League had been prepared for anything since they had been formed, ever since Darksied they had had to be prepared for any attack or any threat that may come to them. That was the problem with being in the lime light; it means threats can see you all the better. Their first thoughts had been alien invaders, super villains who wanted to be known as the people who beat the Justice League or supernatural forces wanting to use them to take over the world, for this they had worked closely with the Slayers and their witches to help with thePROTECTION spells. This past week however, they had found just how unprepared they were for anything. The cracks, Zod and now this alien queen; it would seem they couldn't prepare for everything no matter how hard they tried.

"So, she just teleported in?" Batman growled at Xander, as he and the rest of the founding members of the League tried to access the situation.

"Yeah, aren't your defences supposed to prevent that?" Xander replied smugly as he felt himself yet again being reprimanded by Batman. The pompous ass.

"Oooo, he's got you there!" Flash smirked as he saw Batman's jaw tightened at being proved wrong. Flash silenced himself from cheering as he saw Batman glare at him.

"It would work if someone hadn't switched off the shields," Batman growled giving Xander a sharp look as though blaming him.

"That's enough," Clark said stepping forward, having just arrived back from dropping off Lois and meeting with Perry. It had taken him a while to sneak away since Perry wouldn't allow him to leave without giving him a briefing, it was basically a half an hour of Perry giving them a pep talk or rather complaining about the state of the world and how the Planet was falling behind on the hottest news story since Superman flew across Metropolis. After that some embarrassment by that remark, Clark had made his usual excuses and made his way to the roof to activate his Justice League teleporter arriving just in time to stop yet another Batman and Xander argument. "There's no point blaming each other, whoever this woman is, she has not shown cause for alarm so..." he paused giving them a serious gaze, "where is our guest?"

"In the interview room," J'onn came forward to reply also wanting to avoid any arguments that may arise. Clark nodded and moved forward to walk to the interview rooms, where they had started to screen new recruits to the League. J'onn placed a hand on his shoulder stopping him for a moment, "be careful Kal-El, I suspect she may be from Almerac and they are quiet known for their fiery tempers."

"Lucky I'm from Kansas," Superman smirked walking off to the interview room, "I'll charm her with farm boy ways."

Clark wondered what he might find behind the door as he made his way to the interview room, which to be fair didn't take all that long, but a million questions passed through his mind. What did this woman want? She had said to Xander that Clark was to be his mate, did she know him? Did she know of him? Why did she pick him?

"I've heard you've been looking for me," Superman said as he opened the door to find Maxima the interview room, looking out at the twilight of space with her back to him. He was almost taken aback as she turned to face him; she was indeed beautiful with regality and seriousness that gave her a certain grace.

"Yes and I must say you live up to the legends," Maxima replied looking over with some approval, her voice laced with sexual appetite as she looked over her future mate. "It is a pleasure, Kal-El of Krypton."

"You seem to know me and yet I don't know you," Superman replied looking at her curiously unsure about what these Legends might be.

"I apologise, usually I have my servants introduce me as is custom," Maxima said haughtily straightening up, "my name is Maxima, Queen of Almerac. Please sit we have much to discuss." Superman sat where she offered him a seat, she sitting closely next to him her arm draped over the couch so as to be close to him. She looked towards the door, "where is your servant? The whelp with the eye patch? Should he not be bringing us drinks?"

"Xander is my friend, your highness," Superman replied trying to give some courtesy to the so called royal, "not my servant. But I'm sure I could have some refreshments brought to us."

Superman radioed into the others to bring some refreshments which were brought b... Xander, who in all fairness did not look pleased to be doing this job, shooting a glare at Maxima as he placed the tray of orange juice down,. He had obviously heard her call him a servant through the cameras in the Watch Tower; the others obviously keeping an eye on him as he dealt with the mysterious royal.

"So, shall we get down toBUSINESS as they say," Maxima started abruptly once taking a sip of her drink and looking somewhat displeased by it but ignoring it as she had more pressing matters to deal with. She placed the glass down and began with her formalities, "you have made a name for yourself in the cosmos, Kal-El. A name to be revered and even awed at; The Last Son of Krypton, the warrior of Earth who fought the great Darksied to a standstill..."

"I had help," Superman replied modestly having also placed his drink down, "and I wouldn't call myself a warrior. I don't like fighting Maxima; I only do it as a last resort toPROTECT the people I care for."

"Even so, you have proven your worth." Maxima interjected as though ignoring his last few words, as if they didn't mean anything to her at this moment, "Not many people can say they fell the ruler of Apokolips. Plus..." and for a moment Maxima looked as though she was proceeding very cautiously, "there have been whispers of Krypton's last survivor; messages in the stars indicating that someone from that great race survived."

"And you think I am worthy of _you_?" Superman asked knowing where this is going, having got an update from Xander on Maxima's arrival.

"Yes, I have found many of the males of my planet to be _inferior_, not worthy of standing by my side," Maxima replied with distain having been paraded with suitors by her council with no avail all of which could not match Maxima or show that they were worthy of the throne. "I have chosen you, Kal-El, to be my king and rule by my side." Clark opened his mouth to reply to that but Maxima cut him off as though the decision was already made, "now, there is the matter of Marriage negotiations, now you as the Last remaining Kryptonian it is unlikely you have much in the way of property, but I am sure your army could be part of the negotiations."

* * *

><p>The League and Xander stand at the monitors watching the scene unfold keeping an eye on the situation in case things goes another way. A strange alien woman teleports into their base and they aren't going to be on their guard? Like hell they weren't. They had Batman on their team so security was always going to be tight. But, this they didn't seem prepared for.<p>

"Marriage?!" Xander exclaimed on hearing Maxima's proposal. "Is she proposing to him?"

"It would seem so," J'onn replied stoically keeping watch over the scene.

"Wow, the big guy sure does have all the luck," Flash smirked incredulously as he too couldn't believe what he was witnessing, "first a Slayer who leads an army and now, an alien queen who leads an army..." he glanced over at Wonder Woman mischieviously, "I'm surprised you two haven't hooked up."

"Amusing," Diana replied giving Flash a dirty look at that comment.

"Come on! A chick from the heavens and a guy from the stars," Flash cried leaning on Diana shoulder holding out his arm with in a mock dream-like look as though picturing it as if it were clear as day, "can't you picture it?"

"Quiet!" Batman snapped his voice laced with irritation as he kept a vigil eye on Superman. His mind raced with every contingency and every scenario that could occur, the problem with face with aliens, gods and metahumans was that things tended to unpredictable. Luckily for him, he worked with aliens, gods and metahumans giving him ample insight. "What can you tell us about her race, J'onn?"

"Not much, I never had much contact with Almerac during my travels all I know is from whispers," J'onn replied trying to breach what limited knowledge he had of this race, "they're empire is quiet vast. If what she is saying is correct she is part of their imperial royal family. known for their selective breeding and gene therapy, they have a vast array of power making them formidable warriors."

"So they are militaristic society?" Batman replied noting that whatever powers she may possess maybe coupled with a militaristic mind meant they would have to be on their guard.

"Yes, there have been stories of great battles fought by her race and though from what whispers I have heard of their race..."

He paused looking somewhat sheepish giving everyone a rather forboding feeling. "What is it, Marvin?" Xander asked cautiously yet still using his nickname for J'onn, which J'onn found amusing.

"They take whatever they want and rule with outright strength," J'onn reported gravely, a feeling in his stomach that things may go very wrong here.

* * *

><p>"My army?" Superman spluttered taken aback.<p>

"You are leader of this army, are you not?" Maxima inquired somewhat amused by his reaction nodding to the satellite.

"Well, I guess you could say I am but it's not an ar..." Superman began but Maxima interrupted him yet again.

"Then it is settled," Maxima proclaimed lifting her orange juice up to Superman, "you will provide your army to the Almerac for itsPROTECTION and in turn Almerac will provide its forces to your adopted world's protection. Does this sound satisfactory?"

"I'm sorry, Maxima, but it does not," Clark replied honestly and pleasantly wanting to put her down gently.

"What?" Maxima replied stunned her voice turning icy upon hearing Clark's reply.

"I am flattered, but in all honesty I have to refuse," Superman added honestly, "truth is I'm already involved or rather hoping to be involved with someone else."

"An Earth woman?" Maxima spat in contempt.

"Yes, I'm sorry," Superman replied cautiously standing up to make his leave, "please however make yourself welcome for your stay."

"You would choose an Earth woman above me?" Maxima replied with quiet outrage trying to keep herself in check. "I could give you heirs, bring back your Kryptonian race, and bring you power and wealth. With Almerac's might you could take this planet, bring peace and prosperity to it."

"I don't do what I do to rule or to conquer, I do it toPROTECT those I care about," Superman replied sternly the facade that Maxima had been keeping up disappearing in an instant and Clark seeing the true person underneath. "That is not what the League stands for. And also, I grew up on this planet, my parents were from Earth and my friends are, everything I know is here."

"But you're not one of them," Maxima replied hotly standing up and moving forward to him placing her hands on his shoulder. "No matter how much you wish it. They'll never know what it's like to be like us. That's why you made this League, its why you wear those colours, its why you chose the Slayer as your mate."

"Buffy? How?" Clark asked shocked that she knew.

"You may wish to be one of them, Kal-El, you may choose mates with powers to feel connected to both worlds, but they'll never understand you," Maxima replied leaning forward unbenounced to Clark her eyes flashing a strange pink glow, "they'll never be able to give you what you crave. A family."

She leaned closer their lips almost touching as she spoke in whispers, she could feel his will slipping at the mention of Buffy's name. She had not wished to use her hypnotism but as a last resort she will get her king whether he is a puppet or not. Their lips met and she took him and he took her in his arms, his will breaking and their lips crashing together. She smiled between the kisses as she felt victory in her grasp.

* * *

><p>Outside in the monitor room, the others had been standing patiently watch the conversation play between Clark and Maxima. They had all been on edge and all had prepared themselves for the worst. But what they saw now was almost too much to comprehend, what turned into a marriage proposal now became near enough porn as both Clark and Maxima stood entwined in each other kissing passionately.<p>

* * *

><p>"He's been hypnotised!" J'onn cried as he saw the flash of pink emitted from Maxima's eyes. With those words, both the League and Xander leapt into action.<p>

Both Clark and Maxima broke apart, their breathe heavy from the newfound passion between them. Their eyes looked hungrily at each other. Maxima smiled happily at her conquest. "Are you ready, my love?" Maxima asked taking his hand.

"Yes, my Queen," Clark replied dreamily. They both turned as they were interrupted by the doors flying open as most of the League stormed through the door.

"Step away from him Queenie!" Xander cried as he held his sword up for attack.

"You dare attack my bride?" Superman snarled at seeing his 'friends' stood there all glaring at Maxima and looking as though they were about to attack.

"Superman, you have to step away she's hypnotising you," Diana calmly stated holding out her hand for Clark to take.

"I am giving him everything he could possibly desire," Maxima declared hotly moving to Clark's side holding his shoulder and near straddling his side as though claiming him as her property.

"Yeah using cheap tricks that even a 10$ stripper could muster up," Xander snapped brandishing his sword, "nice try lady, but that went out of style long ago."

"Kal-El, please take care of your friends," Maxima ordered moving away from Clark glaring intently at Xander, "but leave the boy for me. I need to teach him some manners before the wedding."

"Yes, my dear," Superman said stepping forward his eyes flashed red as he glared at his friends and with a flash of red light the battle began.

* * *

><p><strong>Author Note: <strong>After a long wait the story continues and things are getting pretty hectic; can Xander and League stop Maxima and Superman? Will Clark walk down the aisle with Maxima and become ruler of Almerac and possibly Earth? Find out next time: _SUPERMAN'S GIRLFRIEND... MAXIMA?_


	13. The Scoobies Code

**Chapter Twelve**

**The Scoobies' Code**

It had happened in a flash and it had been a day they had all waited for and hoped to whatever god they believed in that it would never happened. They had prepared this moment for a long while and as each of the Scoobies heard the alarm echoing from their respective phones, they felt a foreboding sense of dread as each saw the message: '**_The Boyscout has lost his badges, Xander_**.'

This was part of a system of codes they had added to their already nifty and uncrackable codes the Scoobies had made up in high school and had carried on through their Slayer duties. In fact, much to Giles' chagrin there was a course and a Slayer manual of all of these codes complete with 'I'mGETTING LUCKY tonight, don't wait up' to 'my date is a demon and is going to eat me'; the latter being the most used and almost acted as a rite of passage for any Slayer that passed into the fold. But this code had been one of the very last Buffy had made prior to her battle with Darksied. This code, was the code she hoped would never have to be used and it meant only one thing.

Superman had been compromised.

It had been over a year ago, around the time the whole Twilight stuff had gone down, when Buffy had called the rest of the Scoobies together to discuss this new code, usually they would just discuss it over coffee or in passing as if they were spies giving off a new piece of information, more times than not it was like a little game they played to remind them of simpler high school days... well simpler than what they were used to now. This was different though, Buffy had called a meeting about it.

"I'm making a new code," she had said standing before them in the control room of old HQ, hands on hips and staring them with cold seriousness. Her Slayer General look that she used on new recruits or when she was facing down a horde of vampires. They had taken it seriously the moment she had given, like so many other times.

"Are we having meetings about this now?" Xander asked with a touch of levity that he always added whenever Buffy used this look. There was a note seriousness in this as well and even then it was a code in itself to stand for 'what's this all about?'

"Twilight is targeting us and he has allies we all know that," Buffy said folding her arms and pacing up and down, "allies with resources to take us down and they're using them. We were lucky to have Clark this time, but what if next time is different? What if next time he's on the other side?"

"Clark would never..." Willow began but then remembered the stories of his episode with Red Kryptonite not to mention her first hand experience of him under Silver Kryptonite. If Twilight had those resources he could very well destroy them with just Clark alone.

"We need to make up a plan to take down Clark, should he ever be compromised," Buffy said once Willow had understood and there was a heavy and weighty pause before she even uttered those words. It had been a hard decision to make and one she had not taken lightly, after everything she and Clark had been through it felt like she was betraying him and right after they had gotten together. But she was a Slayer and leader of an army and had to think of any threat that might come her way; even if she was sleeping with him and god knows she'd been scorned by men she had slept with. It stood to reason that another one wouldn't turn bad after well Angel, and then Parker and then Spike who was well Spike, but really she was right in thinking this.

"Does the big guy know your planning on stabbing him in the back?" Faith asked snarkily not liking the idea of this meeting. She liked Clark, he was a good guy and yet again it seemed like B was ready to self destruct on a good thing.

"No," Buffy sighed guiltily as she leant against one of the monitors looking down at the floor to compose herself, "but this is more for his good than anyone else."

"Pfft, yeah right," Faith snorted dismissively.

"Clark would hate to be cause of any harm done to anyone," Buffy snapped back at Faith angry at the cheek of her to presume about her boyfriend, whom she'd only met not five minutes ago. "I've had firsthand experience with that. I've met Clark when he's not in control and have fought a copy of him as well as members of his own race. We all remember Zod, don't we?" Buffy added giving the others a look, Willow, Xander, Giles and Dawn all paled at the memory of that battle.

Silence had filled the room after that and with that they planned. After that however, the code had been scrapped and forgotten about as though it had never happened and then Black Kryptonite had happened. During Lex Luthor's attack he had captured and induced Superman with Black Kryptonite which split him in two, controlling the darker version of Clark (somehow, and even now they don't know how he did it) to attack their HQ. It was after this that they had fought Darksied and ultimately lost Buffy, it brought a stark realisation that they had sorely unprepared for everything including Clark.

And thus, the code was dug out again and contingency plans where set up for just this moment.

Faith had been the first to answer the call responding from London, having gone to London to look over the new HQ there, heading to the armoury she added the code they had set up in a secret compartment where she found their secret armoury known only to a few. She grabbed a sword from the compartment, in its hilt sat a small piece of kryptonite; even a small piece could topple Clark. Hopefully, she thought, she wouldn't have to use the sword on him, just the kryptonite hilt.

Next was Giles, who at the minute was already having an exhausting day trying decipher the mystery which was the crack in the middle of Kahndaq. It had been a week and every text had brought them nought, even the Palmer and Cyborg's scientific expertise had brought up nothing. It was like it had no physical presence or atomic signature, it was merely there and that was what had aggravated them most. How was it possible? Giles, Palmer, Firestorm and Cyborg had all put their heads together to figure out the situation and find any working theory on what exactly they were dealing with. He had received the call midway through one of these very conversations and a feeling of dread filled him, not because he knew what it meant it was because he knew he'd now have to deliver on a promise he had long ago made during his days in Veritas; _PleasePROTECT him and deliver him_. Now with whatever force that had compromised them, he had to do whatever it took to save Clark. He had lost one person he swore toPROTECT, he would not lose another; even to himself.

Considering that Willow was... well they weren't sure were Willow was at the minute the next person to answer the call was of course Andrew, who would obviously and hopefully for all fill in on the magic aspect of the group. As he heard the call he too felt a feeling of dread, in a way this call was a call to arms and even a call of acceptance, it meant albeit reluctantly that the Scoobies were bringing him into their circle of trust and he wouldn't let them down.

Lastly, was Dawn, she had just walked into Clark's apartment letting herself in, in order to get him all suited and booted for his big date tonight. She had many ideas on what she thought would best suit the occasion, she may not have inherited Buffy's Slayer abilities but she did inherit her fashion skills. "Oh come on!" Dawn exclaimed as she looked at her phone to see the dreaded code blurring angrily on her screen. Why now? Why did he have to mind controlled on date night?

Within minutes, thanks to each of their honorary Justice League teleporters they all arrived right in the middle remains of the fight, the Watchtower sat in ruins still functioning and hanging on but it was obvious that a fight hand happened. Computer panels lay strewn across the floor, debris lay scattered and piled on the floor as well as hanging from the rafters. Explosions echoed from above as though the fight was still going on. Dawn looked around the room seeing bodies of the defeated lying on the ground unconscious; Flash lay across the remains of half a table his costume tattered and tufts of blond hair sticking out from his mask, whereas J'onn lay gasping on the ground as smoke sizzled off his costume as though he had been burnt, he was shaking and yet still tried to get up on his feet. Meanwhile, Diana could be seen lying underneath the rubble of what looked like a entireCOMPUTER SYSTEM, her unconscious body near covered in wires and debris. Lastly and much more horrifying for the Scoobies was what they saw lying in the middle of the room, sword discarded and lying face down was Xander, unconscious and bleeding from the head.

"Xander!" Dawn shrieked running over the others following as she skidded to the floor lifting Xander up and checking him over. "Xander, come on wake up! What happened?"

"S-Superman..." Xander gasped weakly his eyes still closed and yet he strained to say the words he needed, "have to stop him... he's gonna kill him..."

"Who?" Giles asked urgently.

"B-Batman," Xander gasped before going out cold again. The others looked up as they heard the explosions above, where the fighting was going on. Batman vs. Superman.

* * *

><p>For most of his life the thing that Batman had sought was control; control of himself, control of the streets of Gotham and in many ways control of fate itself. In a way this search for control spanned that fateful night that had sent him on the path to becoming Batman; the night Thomas and Martha Wayne had been killed in front of their son, Bruce. From that night on, not able to understand what had happened or why it had happened Bruce sought to gain some control of his life and his emotions. From that moment on Bruce Wayne, sought in a sense to take control of fate and ensure that no 8 year old child would ever have to meet the same fate as him <em>because of some punk with a gun<em>.

That was what made him Batman and it was something he could never switch off, he had to be prepared for every eventuality and scenario that came his way. He had to be in control of the situation, otherwise people could die and failure was not an option. He had been prepared for this moment since he joined the League. Working with some of the world's most powerful and most dangerous beings means that he has to assume that one day one of them would be compromised and one day he may have to fight them. He didn't like doing it, in a sense these people were his 'friends' and his allies but he had to do this, he had to be cold and logical no matter how much he hated it. They were good people and he'd do anything to ensure they stayed that way.

This had made up Protocol Fenrir, which activated a battle suit capable of fighting the entire League. Right now it had been locked on to those who had fought Darksied and would be updated for any new members; can't be too careful. It had taken some time to power it up, meaning that J'onn, Flash and Diana had had to deal with the two aliens while this happened. Now it was just him alone to face them.

"We don't have to do this, Superman," Batman had said not three minutes ago when he appeared to face the Man of Steel, looking down at the unconscious body of his team mates, he knew this was inevitable and what he had to do.

"Of course we don't," Superman jeered cynically slamming a fist into Batman's chest sending him flying across the room. He slammed his feet into the ground steadying himself to see Superman rocketing towards him. Batman activated his rocket boots, a blast of fire exploding from his boots rocketing him in the air. He flipped over Superman turning and grabbing Superman's foot as he dropped to the ground pulling hard, which helped given the added strength the suit provided, sending the Man of Steel flying into the air.

After that Batman rocketed into the air after Superman, which led to a drag out fight of fists flying and both of them flying across the rooms and flying up further into the rafters. Explosions echoed as fists hit metal and metal hit steel skin as two titans fought.

Batman dodged an attack as Superman sent a hard left to the face, Batman returning the miss with a successive array of punches to the mid section along with an uppercut sending Superman tumbling to the ground. With that Batman activated his electrode knuckledusters sending a hard electronic left to the face causing Superman to fall off balance. He went to deliver a right only to find the fist caught and a hard foot crashing into his mid section sending him crashing down from the rafters. He turned into the air falling into a drop, breaking his fall on one of the bridges, although he could feel his ribs aching obviously broken. He dropped to one knee for one moment holding his ribs. He had to end this soon.

BOOM! Batman growled in pain as he felt someone slam into his back from above. He glanced over his shoulder to see Superman stood over him giving him a stern glare. "Stay down," he ordered in no uncertain terms.

"Well done, husband," Maxima clapped as she floated down, "a truly riveting performance," she dropped down and wrapped her arms around him, "you have defended my honour and shown you are worthy of my hand."

"Remind me to barth later," a snarky voice echoed from their right both of them turning to find Giles, Dawn, Andrew and Faith stood there all of them with an assortment of weapons. Giles held a huge gun like cannon that emitted a strange red light, whereas Faith kept to old faithful, her sword and Dawn seemed to be holding another strange gun cannon. The one who had given his beloved the snarky comment was of course Faith who stood there holding her sword a loft, "can I use your cape as a barth bag cos I think I'm gonna cause a tsunami, yo!"

"Please don't anger the two powerful aliens, Faith," Giles said dryly as he lifted the gun up aimed at Superman.

"You dare come in our presence!" Maxima shrieked in outrage as she saw these meek sacks of human flesh ready to attack them. "You will suffer greatly for... gah!" Maxima suddenly held her ears in pain as a high-pitched noise rung through them.

"What is happening my love?!" Superman asked horrified as he saw Maxima fall to her knees.

"She's got a little something in her ear!" a voice echoed Superman turning to see Cyborg dropping down from the rafters his canon ready and primed and aimed at Maxima. "BOOYAH!" Cyborg cried as he sent a blast straight at Maxima sending her flying off the bridge and downwards. Giles wasn't going to come face Clark withoutBACKUP.

"MAXIMA!" Superman cried at seeing his 'beloved' in danger. He glared angrily as a small speck left Maxima as she fell a blue and red figure suddenly appearing out of nowhere to reveal the Atom. "You hurt her?!" Superman glared at Atom ready to attack.

BANG! Superman fell to the ground as blast of sound hit him full force causing him to fall to the ground in pain as a loud high pitched noise pierced his ears. He held his hands over his ears trying to block out the noise turning to the source of the noise to see Dawn shooting a sonic wave at him from her gun. He glared at them, sending a blast of heat vision at the gun causing it to explode in her hand. With a swipe Superman sent the Atom flying crashing into a monitor. He looked down briefly to see Maxima being teamed up on by Firestorm and Cyborg. He glared down and then back at the Scoobies.

"Why can't you see I am happy with Maxima?" Superman cried trying to appeal to his now former friends who seemed determined to ruin his happiness.

"Superman, you've been hypnotised, please you have to listen to us," Dawn pleaded not wanting to fight her friend, "Maxima is using you."

"No, she's my Queen," Superman cried zipping towards them ready to defend Maxima's honour only to be met with a ball of fire hitting him square in the chest sending him flying backwards.

"Andrew!" Dawn cried angrily at seeing Andrew holding his hand out in attack mode.

"He was coming at us, I had to do something," Andrew cried defensively.

"Look alive, guys we got a mad alien on our hands," Faith called as she saw Superman getting up looking winded by the blast. "Giles now!"

Giles pulled the gun high blasting Superman with a red solar light, although that was all in theory, it was purely experimental but it gave off a synthetic solar light. He stumbled as it hit him feeling him suddenly coming over weak, in theory the solar lights should completely strip him of his powers but in actuality since this was experimental it only weakened his powers somewhat. He stood up weakly dodging an attack as Faith came at him with her sword missing him by an inch with the hilt. The aim wasn't to kill Clark, mainly just to weaken him or even wound him enough he'd have to stop fighting. Clark weaved and dodged as he worked through the main, the kryptonite hilt making his entire body ache, the sheer effort of moving out of the way of the sword a hardship. Missing the sword he stumbled and felt a sharp kick to his mid section sending him sprawling across the floor.

"Stay down Clark we don't want to hurt you," Faith pleaded sternly letting her guard down for just a second, long enough for Clark to send a blast of heat vision at her sword, the effects of the kryptonite subsiding for a moment, blasting it away falling down off the bridge. With that Clark sent a swift punch at Faith's mid section, despite his weakened state it made her double over but just for second as she a backhanded punch to his feet staggering him for a moment. She then went on the offensive sending kicks and punches at the Man of Steel each one hurting her more than him, but she was hitting strategic spots and hoping it would make him fall. She went a sweep to the legs to knock him over missing as Superman leapt in the air sending a kick to the face and causing her fly across the bridge.

"Giles, a little help here!" Faith cried as she flipped herself up feeling a little woozy from that last kick. Giles stumbled but primed the gun hoping another blast would weaken Clark enough to allow them to knock him out. He didn't get the chance as Clark turned sending a blast of heat vision at Giles blowing up the red solar gun. The discharge threw him slamming him against the wall knocking him out.

"Giles!" Faith cried as she saw Giles fall down, Superman turned as Faith went for a kick dodging and grabbing her and flinging her away like a rag doll, slamming into Andrew just as he began to send out a spell both of which fall to ground unconscious.

"Well done my love," Maxima cooed as she floated up carrying Firestorm and Cyborg and dropping them at Clark's feet. "You truly our a champion. We would do well together and breed great children."

"Superman! Don't do this!" Dawn cried after looking over Giles both Maxima and Superman looking over at her. "You can't go with her."

"He is mine human," Maxima snapped viciously looking down with contempt at the human girl, "my king, my lover, my champion."

"No, he's our champion airhead!" Dawn snapped standing up on her feet glaring at Maxima and yet feeling her entire body like jelly. "You want him you got to go through all of us!"

"Superman darling, please kill her," Maxima sighed a yawn of boredom at being spoken to like this by some mere child.

"K-Kill..." Superman stammered as though a hidden conflict was doing war inside his brain.

"Yes!" Maxima snapped nodding over at Dawn, "she has insulted your Queen. I would say that is treason wouldn't you."

"B-but... she's..." Superman groaned holding his head trying to make sense of all of this.

_No, not her_, a voice in his head echoed, _don't do it._

I have to, he replied, for Maxima.

_She's manipulating you, _the voice cried, _we don't kill_.

She's my... love, Clark replied with some strain, I-I must...

"What about Buffy?!" Dawn cried snapping Clark out of his train of thought. He stared and looked at her in shock at hearing that name. "Would she want this?"

_No._

"And what about Lois?" Dawn cried moving forward as she saw the cogs in Superman's brain spin rapidly making sense of everything. "She's waiting to be with you. She's waiting for you to be her champion."

"L-Lois!" Clark mumbled her picture illuminating his mind.

"Yes, she's the one you want," Dawn cried desperately trying to get through to him, "she's the one you deserve..."

_Lois, _Clark thought his mind racing with memories of her, _Buffy._

"She's the one you want not this airheaded prom queen!" Dawn snapped angrily glaring at Maxima.

Maxima's eyes widened with rage and she suddenly rocketed towards Dawn grabbing her by the throat. Dawn gasped for air as Maxima lifted her up dangling her in mid-air with just one arm. "You dare speak me like this peasant," Maxima spat as she held her up, "you are dare disrespect me! Your QUEEN! You dare!"

"Let her go, Maxima," a commanding voice echoed from behind her, shocking Maxima. She turned to look over to find Superman, stood straight a stern look on his face and his eyes completely normal now. "It's over."

"How?" Maxima asked stunned, no one can resist her control.

"I got a better offer," Superman said as he zipped over to her grabbing her wrist , squeezing it. Maxima gasped and released her grip of Dawn who dropped to the floor. "I don't have any desire to sire despots, especially to someone who invades my mind."

"I am a Queen, I will control anyone," Maxima spat viciously.

"And that Maxima, is why you and I will never happen," Superman replied sadly, "you rule with contempt for your lesser Maxima, you rule with strength alone with only a thought to yourself. I hope you find someone, but really I hope you take these words with you. To rule with strength, is to rule with the strength to make the hard choice for everyone, not just oneself. No matter what, we are a servant to the people and we serve them. That is the measure of a true ruler."

And with that Clark pressed the button on Maxima's teleporter sending her back. Her heard the cries and screams of her pleas, but in the end she was gone, returned to her home world and kingdom alone. Clark stood looking down at the wreckage of the Watchtower and his fallen comrades all of which began to stare; one in particular looking grumpy as he took off his helmet.

"Well, it's about time you snapped out it," Batman snapped grumpily as he threw the helmet on the ground getting up groggily.

"You okay?" Dawn asked looking around at the wreckage of the battle.

"No," Clark said solemnly looking down at the wreckage of what he had done. To his friends and his allies. He felt a deep shame and anger at what had happened and yet relieved that Dawn was there to help him, "but thanks."


	14. Superman's Girlfriend Lois Lane

**Chapter Thirteen**

**Superman's Girlfriend Lois Lane**

Maxima sat in her throne room, her aides looking on nervously at their Queen from the sides of the room unsure of how she will react at any given time. That was always a threat to all who lived under her rule, that Maxima's temper and emotions were so volatile that it was hard to tell what sort of mood she can be in from one day or another. But this was different, now she had returned rejected and embarrassed, in short she had been defeated something that Maxima was not used to.

"My Queen, is there anyway that we can please you oh most powerful one?" one of her aides Sazu asked humbily.

"Yes, you can bring me the head of Kal-El!" Maxima snapped angrily slamming her fist down on the arm of her throne before standing up and storming forward looking for something to hit, something to do battle with. "That man! How dare he reject me?!"

"How can anyone reject you my Queen?" one of his aides asked humbly bowing their heads as if the mere notion was thoroughly insane to even think of such a thing.

"He did. The nerve," Maxima shrieked grabbing one of her aides and throwing her clear across the room, the other looked unnerved as the girl crashed to the ground. "How dare he challenge my rule? He thinks because he fought Darksied that he knows best. He lets his people run riot and gives them freedom. He does not have the iron will to keep his people in order! I'll kill him!"

"That's good cos I think I can help you there," a voice echoed from... her throne. Maxima turned aghast as she saw the man sat there. "My name is Maxwell Lord," he introduced himself sitting off the chair, in fact leaping off the chair, "and I, your majesty, am the answer to your problem."

"You dare sit on my throne," Maxima snarled glaring at the man as he walked over her.

"I only dare when I know I'm going to win," Maxwell replied with a shrug, "but let's get down to business. I can help you destroy Superman."

"And what would you want in return?" Maxima asked suspiciously.

"Oh, just access to your technology, nothing too major," Lord replied then holding out his hand, "so do we have a deal?"

Maxima paused looking at him suspiciously.

"I'll let you kill him slowly," Lord added to sweeten the deal. With that they shook hands forming their partnership.

* * *

><p>Clark sat in his apartment trying to get to grips of what had just happened; he had been used, he had been manipulated all by a strange alien from the stars. He had been used as a weapon something he had always feared happening and worst of all he used against his friends. He had stood looking at the wreckage he had brought on the League as they recovered, some of them quicker than others.<p>

"It wasn't your fault," they had each said as he made his apologise but at the same time he still felt an overwhelming wave of guilt at what had happened that could not abate. He had been stupid to fall for Maxima's tricks, he had been niave and utterly stupid. No one else would have fallen for that.

Batman was right. He was too trusting, he thought as entered his apartment upon returning from the Watchtower. He couldn't stand to be near them anymore, seeing what he had done. He just wanted to be alone. Where he couldn't hurt anyone. Afterall, he'd faced, everything he had seen he had still not learnt that not everyone could be trusted and not everyone wanted to help their fellow man. Some people just want use and step over people.

Knock knock!

Clark turned sighing upon hearing the knock on the door. Lois. He wasn't really in the mood for company at the minute, much less a date. He moved towards the door cracking it open to see Lois stood there dressed... well beautifully. She was dressed casually with a jeans and jacket combo, but there was something different something in her eyes that made him near swoon.

"You're not ready?" Lois said upon seeing Clark in the door frame, "come on Smallville, what are you a sixteen year old girl?"

"Listen, Lois I'm errmmm not really up for going out," Clark asked dully yet somewhat conflicted upon seeing her, "I've had a bit of a bad day."

He turned and walked away without even closing the door rubbing the back of his neck. Lois opened the door walking in looking at him with concern. "What's the matter?" Lois asked with concern as she saw Clark, his shoulders more slouched than usual.

Clark didn't say anything for a moment before turning to say something he need answering at that moment. "Am I too trusting?" Clark asked turning to face Lois, "am I an idiot for seeing the good in people?"

"Clark," Lois said shocked by the question and wanting to get to the bottom of it, "what happened?"

"I-I don't want to talk about it," Clark said waving his hand dismissively unable to really explain what he meant to Lois since well she didn't know he was Superman. "Well? Am I too trusting?"

"Yes," Lois said simply.

"Oh, great," Clark replied dimly sitting down on the arm of the chair dejected.

"But, that's what makes you unique," Lois said slowly, with an assertiveness that meant she wasn't just saying it to be nice or back track. This was what she thought. "We live in a cynical world, Clark. You and I know that more than most, we in the front lines of it, bringing the news on every terrible thing that happens and yet every other person would look at that and play on it, make sensational news on every terrible thing or be jaded by the entire world. But not you," she moved forward placing a hand on his shoulder, "you look for the best in people and throughout this cynical world you marvel at the moments in which people show that there's more to this world than the hurt and terror."

"You really think that?" Clark asked surprised about Lois had just said. He had no idea she thought like that.

"You kind of grow on people, Smallville," Lois winked at him smacking him on the arm. She cleared her throat yet Clark noticed the tears threatening to escape her eyes. "Now toughen up and don't care what anyone says. We got enough people being cynical, we don't need any more. What we need is..." she paused for a moment as though wanting to say something. Clark looked at her curiously. She smiled as though thinking it didn't matter, "we need coffee."

Clark chuckled at that. "Is that your cure for everything?" Clark joked lightly knowing full well about Lois' inherited addiction to coffee.

"I haven't smoked in nearly four years sometimes you have to take one addiction and add another," Lois shrugged.

"You know, they have chewing gum for that?" Clark replied with a smile looking down at her as she tried to justify her coffee addiction.

"And they taste like feet," Lois replied with disgust. "And you wouldn't want my breath to smell like feet, now would you Smallville?" she added with a wink before turning and walking to the door, "now, get your coat and come on. I don't want to stay here telling you how great you are all night."

With a chuckle Clark did that putting his coat on and leaving with Lois, the weight of today not quite off his shoulders, but loosened just a bit.

* * *

><p>Lex Luthor took a sip of brandy as he looked out at the new solar tower ready for its unveiling tomorrow. It stood towering over Metropolis as golden spire shining in the night, shining in the day, a beacon 24 hours a day for the entire city to see. The entire world to see it for what it was soon. Very soon.<p>

"Beautiful isn't it?" a voice echoed behind him. It was a smug and arrogant voice of a man he had known only briefly for the past few months and neither trusted nor liked, but he need him non-the-less. If what he had told him was true, they would all need him. For now anyway.

"Very," Lex said turning and passing a drink to Maxwell Lord, his 'business partner'. "The unveiling will commence tomorrow. How long until the plan is executed?"

"Once that insufferable Boy Scout is out of the way we'll be all set," Maxwell said as he took a sip, his voice less floaty and fickle and more venomous as he spoke of Superman. "Then, my friend we'll be the true saviours of this world." He looked up at the sky and scoffed with derision, "look at them. Ruling on high above us in the stars, playing god and playing hero, when really they are nothing of the sort."

"My sentiments exactly," Lex replied dryly taking a sip, "is the team ready?"

"Nearly," Maxwell replied, "we just need one more member. Is _he _ready?"

"In a manner of speaking," Lex replied through gritted teeth hating the fact that in someways who they referred to was a failure. But a failure that will serve its purpose. "What of the girl? Is she... safe?"

"In a manner of speaking," Maxwell smirked with glee as he took a drink smiling as he gulped the drink down, "Buffy Summers won't be bothering us. Not where she is anyway."

* * *

><p><strong>Earth-111<strong>

It had been nearly nine months since Buffy Summers had been transported to this world and it had not been fun she can tell you that. Firstly, she didn't know she had actually gotten here, last thing she remembered was being hit by whatever blast old rockface had hit her with and next thing she knew she was in some parrellel universe were the entire Justice League are evil. Evil counterparts are always fun. Especially when they capture you keep you imprisoned for months on end.

The first month had been a series of routines for Buffy as she sat in her dank cell trying to find some way of escaping and in between that being tortured for answers by The Martian Manhunter. He used as much mental projection and tricks to mess with her head, but what he didn't know and what she wouldn't let him know was that she had gone through enough mental and physical torture through her life to be able to last long. She continued to fight and keep on trying to escape, but the chances had been very slim now due to the torture ceasing, which confused her because she had not given them any information. It had just ended but her imprisonment hadn't, it meant she was forever caged and imprisoned.

She continued to plan and continued to plot for her escape until finally it happened.

BOOM! The wall of her cell exploded. She dived out of the way as rubble flew every where. She could hear commotion from outside as the guards came to investigate. She turned to look up at the figures stood at the hole in the wall; a tall dark haired man stood in the middle masked and completely in black a blue bird like symbol emblazoned on his chest, a orange flame haired girl in purple floated behind him alongside a red and gold glad young man with red hair and lastly, a dark haired woman of what looked like eighteen in a red skin tight suit with silver stars streaking her side.

"Quickly, we don't have much time!" Nightwing cried as he held out a hand for Buffy.

"Okay, who and what are you guys?" Buffy cried with exasperation at seeing another group hovering over her in the past nine months.

"We're the Titans," Nightwing said taking her hand, "and we're here to save you."

* * *

><p><strong>Author Note: <strong>So, Clark has his work cut out for him; Lex Luthor, Zod, Maxima and Maxwell Lord and this so called team also coming after him. However will he cope? Luckily he now has Lois. But wait! Buffy's alive! Well if you read the end of the last story you already knew that, yes Buffy is lost on Earth 111 (named after the date and month 'A Better World' came out 1st November) and is trapped with the Justice Lords world and the Titans as her allies apparently; What will happen to Buffy? Will she stop the Justice Lords? Will she make it back to our Earth? Find out next time in: **The Lord's World**


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